Wednesday, August 10, 2022
A contrast in leadership
With energy bills set to rise above £4,000 by the beginning of next year, it is becoming increasingly urgent that government take action to alleviate the impact on households around the UK. Removing the green energy levy and taking on that investment themselves is one option, as is removing VAT on fuel bills, preferably both. But is that enough? That seems unlikely.
If only the government had continued building up alternative energy capacity after 2015, a programme started by the Liberal Democrats in government, then the situation might be more manageable for everybody.
There is no indication that the Tory leadership candidates have any clue as to the scale of the crisis people face this winter. The Independent reports that Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss has rejected calls for an emergency budget and refused to offer immediate help with rocketing energy bills. In contrast, Ed Davey has offered a more obvious solution.
As the Independent reports, the Liberal Democrats leader has said that the expected energy price cap increase in October should be scrapped by the next prime minister and the cost covered with a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.
This solution goes to the heart of the matter. What is the point of a cap if it keeps moving upwards? We need radical action by the government, if only Truss and Sunak could see that.
If only the government had continued building up alternative energy capacity after 2015, a programme started by the Liberal Democrats in government, then the situation might be more manageable for everybody.
There is no indication that the Tory leadership candidates have any clue as to the scale of the crisis people face this winter. The Independent reports that Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss has rejected calls for an emergency budget and refused to offer immediate help with rocketing energy bills. In contrast, Ed Davey has offered a more obvious solution.
As the Independent reports, the Liberal Democrats leader has said that the expected energy price cap increase in October should be scrapped by the next prime minister and the cost covered with a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.
This solution goes to the heart of the matter. What is the point of a cap if it keeps moving upwards? We need radical action by the government, if only Truss and Sunak could see that.
