General Election - 4th July 2024

[mosssideblue]

I don’t actually think we need to pay more tax (although a 1p rise wouldn’t bother me) the money needs to be spent better there’s far too much waste on shit.

Exactly. The Tories have been too stupid and dug such a deep hole about labour and taxes for their campaign, they don't realise people want better bang for their buck

 

[M18CTID]

Why do you think gas prices went up? Is it because we suddenly started needing to replace Russian sourced gas and refined products due to sanctions on account of them invading Ukraine. So when Germany et al are running around trying to buy non-Russian origin products what do you think happens to the prices of said non-Russian origin products? The energy companies didn’t dictate those prices although it did increase their profits for sure.

Now I’m an advocate of free markets and where the UK (and others) went wrong was providing support for peoples energy bills at this time - can’t afford it? Use less. Simple supply and demand, this benefits everyone.

As a footnote. During covid same energy companies lost over £20bn I don’t recall seeing any collection buckets to support them then.

Plenty of businesses lost money during Covid so that’s a daft argument. Offering support for energy bills was absolutely the right thing to do as we would’ve been facing economic Armageddon otherwise. I was lucky as I’d entered into a 2 year fix just before energy prices started to rise exponentially and by the time that fix ended prices were on their way back down again but I still had empathy for all those who got badly stung. I read somewhere that France’s energy bills only went up by 4% but that’s what happens when you have a nationalised industry and no way should essential services ever be privatised IMO. Somewhat ironically, EDF - a French company - have made an absolute fucking fortune out of UK customers when prices rocketed which in turn helped subsidise their own citizens back home. That’s how fucked up the energy industry is in this country and it’s pretty much the same with the rail industry. We’re paying some of the highest rail fares in Europe which in turn is helping keep rail fares down in some other European countries.

 

[mosssideblue]

Why do you think gas prices went up? Is it because we suddenly started needing to replace Russian sourced gas and refined products due to sanctions on account of them invading Ukraine. So when Germany et al are running around trying to buy non-Russian origin products what do you think happens to the prices of said non-Russian origin products? The energy companies didn’t dictate those prices although it did increase their profits for sure.

Now I’m an advocate of free markets and where the UK (and others) went wrong was providing support for peoples energy bills at this time - can’t afford it? Use less. Simple supply and demand, this benefits everyone.

As a footnote. During covid same energy companies lost over £20bn I don’t recall seeing any collection buckets to support them then.

Jesus fucking wept

 

[metalblue]

Can't agree with you on this. Old people die when they can't afford to heat their homes. We've got to support people.

What about old people in countries where their government couldn’t afford to help supplement their energy bills?

Or by people do we just mean “our people”. Do you see the problem with this line of thinking?

 

[metalblue]

Plenty of businesses lost money during Covid so that’s a daft argument. Offering support for energy bills was absolutely the right thing to do as we would’ve been facing economic Armageddon otherwise. I was lucky as I’d entered into a 2 year fix just before energy prices started to rise exponentially and by the time that fix ended prices were on their way back down again but I still had empathy for all those who got badly stung. I read somewhere that France’s energy bills only went up by 4% but that’s what happens when you have a nationalised industry and no way should essential services ever be privatised IMO. Somewhat ironically, EDF - a French company - have made an absolute fucking fortune out of UK customers when prices rocketed which in turn helped subsidise their own citizens back home. That’s how fucked up the energy industry is in this country and it’s pretty much the same with the rail industry. We’re paying some of the highest rail fares in Europe which in turn is helping keep rail fares down in some other European countries.

You’re preaching for socialism to stop at our borders. Fuck the foreigners whose governments can’t afford to bail them out eh?

Regarding the French EDF took something like a 10bn euro loss to support that 4% cap. As a state owned entity they could do that. Yes our rail fares are a fucking nightmare.

 

[metalblue]

Jesus fucking wept

Another socialist who doesn’t give a fuck about foreigners?

 

[hcblue95]

What about old people in countries where their government couldn’t afford to help supplement their energy bills?

Or by people do we just mean “our people”. Do you see the problem with this line of thinking?

Weird argument but yeah I'm not advocating WW3 where we have to subjugate everyone in the world and impose socialism on them. I'm just saying pay a bit to the poorer people in our communities so they don't die of pneumonia?

 

[metalblue]

Weird argument but yeah I'm not advocating WW3 where we have to subjugate everyone in the world and impose socialism on them. I'm just saying pay a bit to the poorer people in our communities so they don't die of pneumonia?

How is it weird?

1. Global energy prices rise.
2. People in poor countries cannot afford it and nor can their governments supplement their bills like ours did (and as a result other countries follow suit who can)
3. People in countries where their bills are being supplemented continue to use energy as if nothing has changed - prices remain high
4. People in poor countries suffer as a result


The alternative is:

1. Global prices rise
2. We use less
3. Global prices go down

Anyway glad a few of you think the government got it right - credit where credit is due and all that. I disagree but there we go - and we already have mechanisms in place to protect the vulnerable during winter.

 

[Toney’s bookie]

BecauseJohnson thought Covid was just mild flu

It was and is for the huge, huge majority of the population.

 

[HelloCity]

Why do you think gas prices went up? Is it because we suddenly started needing to replace Russian sourced gas and refined products due to sanctions on account of them invading Ukraine. So when Germany et al are running around trying to buy non-Russian origin products what do you think happens to the prices of said non-Russian origin products? The energy companies didn’t dictate those prices although it did increase their profits for sure.

Now I’m an advocate of free markets and where the UK (and others) went wrong was providing support for peoples energy bills at this time - can’t afford it? Use less. Simple supply and demand, this benefits everyone.

As a footnote. During covid same energy companies lost over £20bn I don’t recall seeing any collection buckets to support them then.