It’s 2022 yet people are freezing at home

Because the Tories sold off the infrastructure we all owned without asking us.

In the past they sold more off to offset the subsequent disasters from selling off the first lot.

Now they've run out of stuff to sell off.

So we are stuffed.

 

Yet people pay good money and risk their lives to get here... we must be doing something right.

 

Overseas businesses being invited to 'invest' in (then own/part own) our future energy sources like nuclear.

Why are we not building,or at least operating/owning it ourselves? We appear to have learned nothing from what is going on ??!!

 

A significant number of other countries have also sold off their utility providers so how relevant is blaming the Tories?

 

To the same extent, with the same consequences, with our weather patterns and extremes?

Many southern european countries have little or no gas infrastructure and have always relied on bottled gas or solid fuels.

Are those countries paying better state pensions, benefits and subsidising bills better or worse?

Do tell.....

 

An energy strategy is a long term investment, so we can probably blame all governments over the past 25-30 years.

As for @hailfrank initial comment keeping warm is a basic need for life, we are trying (and have) reduced our energy consumption gas by 25% but our bill has increased by 70% I am cold and its bloody miserable, OK before someone else says it I've always been bloody miserable. Relatively speaking we are better off than many, for which I am grateful, but even we don't have a bottomless pit of cash and something needs to give. I feel desperately sad for those that despite their best efforts are in a worse position.

@Betty the Bay comments like yours are unnecessary.

 

Nice to see people are at least starting to see the wood for the trees! Don't think very many people got what they thought that they voted for!

 

I’m no Tory but It’s easy to blame the government. Labour couldn’t do a better job .nor the greens or libs .. central heating is a modern thing . How did people survive with just a single coal fire 30 years ago ? Everyone now expects everything handed on a plate

 

It’s not a good position to be in. It’s probably arguable that the wealth gap is a result of capitalism and the way the poorest and most vulnerable in society are supported is a consequence of government policy, but the whole lot complexly interlinked.

no government is going to stay / get into power if they really hike taxes on the wealthy to the extent that it would really change matters. I wish I knew the answers

 

Good job it's not 1962 .No central heating in our house then . A coke burner in the kitchen and an open fire downstairs nowt upstairs . But can't remember being cold . My grand parents house up on Scottish borders was even worse . We dreaded going up for Crimbo according to mother .

 

Nationalise everything. Tax every single person in the country 50%. No one would be cold then. The state would have ample funds to provide for every one them.

all the current governments do is tinker round the edges and look after themselves.

 

I see a bleak cold future for all based on the lack of positivity from parliament. Any hope that the hike in fuel prices will ever be reversed in the future when things settle down is never mentioned. Isee that the plan is for high prices to remain indefinitely, and rise yet again but also the government subsidy to disappear as already stated .
I dont understand how they have allowed standing charges to also increase. That charge for me is now more each month than the gas i used in a low use month .
It doesnt suddenly cost more to repair and maintain the infrastructure than it did last year , especially as wages havnt increased for the workers.
Its a bleak future for all , not just the "most vulnerable"amongst us , were all vulnerable only some more than others and the others have to work all week to also be vulnerable.

 

New coal mine to open in Cumbria..

 

I hear what you say @hailfrank , and completely agree that the situation we are in is terrible. As a consequence we have set up a ‘community living room’ (hated the idea of calling it a warm hub). What has come out of it is a real sense of community. Some of the older folk from our neighbourhood have enjoyed having somewhere to go and mixing with those with others as well as younger families with small kids. We are also giving away food that is perfectly good that would be thrown away (16kg of bread and pastries from one co-op this week!)

So I really hate the idea that we have to provide something like this, but I’m glad we are doing it - if that makes sense