All the energy suppliers in the UK putting up prices.

[expat]

Not happening in France or Germany where two of the big energy players originate from (EdF and Eon), otherwise there would be massive public protests. Seems like the UK has become a free-for-all, 'wild west' country where anyone can come, buy banks/airports/energy companies/rail franchises and do pretty much what they like due to the complete lack of regulation and absence of a decent Gov't.

Normally I come on here to say something much like that, but I have to point out that the reason EdF raise prices in the UK and not in France, government intervention aside, is that electricity production in France is overwhelmingly nuclear (80%), and that has not gone up in price; EdF's electricity in the UK is even more overwhelmingly from fossil fuels, and they have gone up in price.

[contractor79]

They say it's due to wholesale natural gas prices going through the roof.

Well here's the price of natural gas over the last 3 months.

http://markets.ft.com/cgi-bin/upload...c7a08a72b2a2d8

Anyone care to explain?

no one will take to the streets, people will just pay. It's our fault.

[Dow Jones]

Oh dear

Dear OS, I have had a great 3-week holiday, looks like you could do with one too, you seem so stressed mate.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Isn't it a bit ironic to demand governments stay out of stuff, Thatcher was a genius etc but then moan when the results appear? If you voted for all those privatisations you can hardly complain now and demand state intervention.

[ThomasSoerensen]

Isn't it a bit ironic to demand governments stay out of stuff, Thatcher was a genius etc but then moan when the results appear? If you voted for all those privatisations you can hardly complain now and demand state intervention.

Dude, you are mistaking these people for people who know about cause and effect.

People will always complain, in the end they will complain about not having anything to complain about.

[AtW]

If you voted for all those privatisations you can hardly complain now and demand state intervention.

A good idea can be greatly perverted - something that I think was done by Nu Liebor. The problem is that there is no real competition in many industries now - a handful of big players control the market and can play it. If its so bad then might as well go back to British Gas and British Rail - I ordered train ticket to London early morning, the cheapest I could get is £60 - just why on Earth it costs so much?

[oracleslave]

A good idea can be greatly perverted - something that I think was done by Nu Liebor. The problem is that there is no real competition in many industries now - a handful of big players control the market and can play it. If its so bad then might as well go back to British Gas and British Rail - I ordered train ticket to London early morning, the cheapest I could get is £60 - just why on Earth it costs so much?

It's cause all the himmygrants ave created the demand innit?

[AtW]

It's cause all the himmygrants ave created the demand innit?

I seem to remember my friend having to go by Train to Heathrow via London in late 1996 and he also had to pay ridiculous amount of money, it's like wtf, 2 hours by train to cover 120 miles is more than flights? Rolling over rails is highly efficient way of transport ffs.

[ThomasSoerensen]

- just why on Earth it costs so much?

because you are willing to pay it.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

A good idea can be greatly perverted - something that I think was done by Nu Liebor. The problem is that there is no real competition in many industries now - a handful of big players control the market and can play it. If its so bad then might as well go back to British Gas and British Rail - I ordered train ticket to London early morning, the cheapest I could get is £60 - just why on Earth it costs so much?

There never was any real competition. That odious worm Ridley was asked about it in the house in connection with water privatisation and he just said 'people can drink Perrier I suppose'. People voted to be fleeced by the free market rather than nationalised indistries now the market is doing it - what did you expect?