Quote:
Originally Posted by ianch99
Which only shows what happens when you apply free market dogma to national infrastructure services. When companies that are motivated by profit and shareholder returns are created in an artificial "free" market, it can never end well. The same story is seen in the water sector where it is probably worse.
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If energy was nationalised, its highly unlikely there would be a price cap. Millions of people would be paying prices reflective of the wholesale costs right now.
What we're currently seeing is akin to an extension of the welfare system paid for by the private sector. Energy suppliers are forced by government to subsidise customer bills by having to sell at a loss. It is not sustainable in the long term unless the price cap is brought into line with wholesale costs, which then inflicts more pain on customers. If that doesn't happen, I'd imagine we'll see some of the 'big six' (or is it five now?) reviewing their operations in the UK.
Successive governments have failed on energy policy. The UK needs to become more self-sufficient. The £1.7bn put aside for Bulb could have been spent on helping households reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.