UK Politics Thread part II

[Jimbuna]

Energy bills for a typical household could hit £4,266 next year, consultancy Cornwall Insight has warned.

The higher estimate means the average household would be paying £355 a month, instead of £164 a month currently.

The energy bill warning comes as the government rejected calls for further help on energy bills until a new prime minister is in place. The CBI business lobby group said it "made no sense to wait" for a new Conservative party leader.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62475171

[Jimbuna]

Many households are already falling behind on energy payments, even before bills go up further in October, and then January.

It's now being estimated that the average household could be paying £355 a month next year, instead of £164 a month currently.

Consumer expert Martin Lewis says it's "a national crisis" on the scale of the Covid pandemic.

But Education Secretary James Cleverly says there will not be any major support packages until parliament returns in September.

Tory leadership candidate Liz Truss has dismissed calls to agree immediate plans with her rival Rishi Sunak and outgoing PM Boris Johnson.

Citizens Advice meanwhile says: "Every day we hear from people who can't afford to turn the lights on or cook their kids a hot meal"

Top ministers are meeting energy giants on Thursday to discuss what can be done.

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

Rishi Sunak has said he would rather lose the Tory leadership race than "win on a false promise".

In a BBC interview, the former chancellor said he would tell people what "they needed to hear" and stay "true" to his values.

He added the next prime minister had a "moral responsibility" to support poorer households with payments for energy bills.

And he said rival Liz Truss's plan for tax cuts would not help the most needy.

He told the BBC's Nick Robinson he would spend billions of pounds on further targeted payments to pensioners and those on low incomes.

The plan marks a contrast with Foreign Secretary Ms Truss, who argues tax cuts are a more Conservative way to help with rising living costs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62496858

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

Another 'rat' leaving the sinking ship.

Sir Robert Buckland has become the first cabinet minister to publicly switch his support from Rishi Sunak to Liz Truss in the Tory leadership race.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Sir Robert said Ms Truss was the "right person to take the country forward".

The Welsh Secretary had previously backed former chancellor Mr Sunak, citing his experience and judgement.

Mr Sunak won every vote among Tory MPs, but Ms Truss is now consistently tipped to win the backing of party members.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62528855

[Jimbuna]

It has been a long time since I believed anything this fool said but on this occasion I sincerely hope he is being truthful.

Boris Johnson has admitted the current help for people struggling with energy bills is not enough, and said he expects more money to follow.

Mr Johnson will step down as PM in September, but said he was "making sure there is extra cash" for his successor to provide additional support.

He also said people were starting to receive the money which the government announced earlier in the year.

The topic of rising bills has come to dominate the Tory leadership contest.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62516772

[Moonlight]

Water Privatisation has Failed the UK.

Thatcher's privatisation disaster, no long term strategy of any kind to upgrade the water infrastructure, and no water reservoirs built in the last 30 years either, this is the price the country is paying for Thatcher's dash for cash which went ahead at full throttle.
Billions of pounds have been paid out in dividends to shareholders over the years though, she wanted the minority to benefit and the majority to pay the price, and boy oh boy have we ****ing paid. Most of that money should have been spent on reservoirs and water pipe upgrades but the greed of the few takes precedence over small matters like that.

How to fix this mess.
Re-nationalise the water companies with no compensation given, they have had more in dividends paid out than they have put in, the teat is running dry and it's time for those who have milked it to this level to pay for it.

£3bn bonanza for fat cats: How investors (including the Chinese) took out cash that firms could have used to fix Britain's creaking water network
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-network.html

[Jimbuna]

Labour is to call for the energy price cap to be frozen this autumn, part of a plan to deal with the cost of living.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to make the call on Monday, in which he will explain how Labour would pay for the plan if it was in power.

The cap - the maximum amount suppliers can charge customers for average use - is £1,971 a year.

But experts expect it to climb to around £3,500 a year and for every household to see steep rises in bills.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62537011

I'm all for that but it still doesn't make Labour a party fit to govern.

[Jimbuna]

Sir Keir Starmer has said Labour's plan to freeze energy prices for all consumers is justified by the scale of expected rises this winter.

He defended his call to spend £29bn on keeping bills down for everyone across the board, rather than more targeted payments.

Many millions - not just "the hardest up" - would find it hard to keep up with payments, he told the BBC.

He also claimed freezing prices for all would also help tame rising inflation.

All households are due to receive £400 payments to help with rising bills, with additional payments for the low-paid, pensioners and the disabled.

Labour has now suggested the £400 payments should be cancelled, with the government footing the the bill to keep the price cap at £1,971 a year for typical households between October and March.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62553338

Sounds much fairer but I would say that seeing as how I would then receive some financial help.

[Jimbuna]

Pay has fallen further behind the rising cost of living, according the latest official data.

While average wages rose 4.7% between April and June, that was outpaced by inflation - or price rises - which is growing at a much faster pace.

As a result, the "real value" of pay fell by 3%, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Household budgets are being hit by soaring energy bills as well as higher food and fuel costs.

The rise in prices has fuelled the UK inflation rate to a 40-year high. The latest inflation figure, due out on Wednesday, is forecast to be higher.

The gap between pay growth and inflation is the biggest since records began more than 20 years ago.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62550069

[Catfish]

"It'd be so tempting to support Liz Truss in becoming the next UK PM, followed by Dominic Raab, who should be followed by an ape with mediocre intelligence, because that's exactly what post-Brexit Britain would deserve ending up with. I wonder, though, if that'd be only pure evil on my part."
Not from me, but ..

[Skybird]

Throughout the West, its the time of truths. All the accumulated follies and hopes and false beliefs the West based upon, crumble.



And with every relief packages paid out, the fire is extinguished with spilling more inflation into it.



This merry go round is a viscous circle. The only escape lies in that it completely derails and shatters. And that won't get funny. Not here, not there, nor anywhere.



Those who have no savings, will suffer what they must. Those who have savings, will loose a lot.



The recession is not a bad thing. It cuts away what is already dead and zombie in the economy, and puts the rest back to its true proportions, if only it is allowed to run long enough. Its a correction. Not the recession is the thing to fight against, but the rotten stuff it mercilessly exposes.



For many the ride will become brutal.



Things are out of control now.

[Jimbuna]

Soaring food costs have pushed UK inflation into double digits for the first time since 1982, with prices continuing to rise at their fastest rate for more than 40 years.

Inflation hit 10.1% in the 12 months to July, up from 9.4% in June, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Soaring living costs are eating into household budgets, with prices rising faster than wages.

The Bank of England has said inflation could peak at more than 13% this year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62562025

[Catfish]

Not much to do with the UK directly, but since you (Jim) mentioned that somewhat earlier.. energy prices are going up here, not only gas but electricity.
We paid 74 Euros/month last and this year, new price from october on will be 192 Euros – at least.
Heating, oven, washing machine, refrigerator, computer, tv... no air condition or such but together with rising fuel prices, gas, materials.. will be hard to cope.