Tag: energy

Brace for a toxic UK-EU ‘reset’

Even the dodgy official estimates suggest that the proposed UK-EU ‘reset’ would boost the UK economy by no more than 0.4% in the long run. Rarely has so much been given away in return for so little. Next Friday (20 November) brings a crucial summit aimed at approving a ‘reset’ of Britain’s relationship with the … Continue reading Brace for a toxic UK-EU ‘reset’ →

Expensive energy, not Brexit, explains why Britain is stagnating

UK industry has struggled for years under the burden of relatively high electricity costs The stream of bad news about energy shows no sign of ending. Last month the regulator Ofgem confirmed that the cap on domestic bills will rise by another 4% in October, despite the temporary removal of VAT from the cost of … Continue reading Expensive energy, not Brexit, explains why Britain is stagnating →

Burnham’s first big idea: lower your bills by raising your taxes?

It is obviously a bit harsh to judge anyone’s premiership by just one announcement on the first day, but a token cut in VAT on domestic electricity bills does not bode well. In case you missed it, the new government has announced that the rate of VAT charged on domestic electricity bills will be cut … Continue reading Burnham’s first big idea: lower your bills by raising your taxes? →

Politicians should work with BP and Shell, not demonise them

Many commentators like to pontificate about the profits made by big energy companies. But this grandstanding reveals a feeble grasp of basic economics and numbers, and is ultimately counterproductive. In case you missed it, some big companies selling products which are now in short supply have seen their profits rise because of higher prices. This … Continue reading Politicians should work with BP and Shell, not demonise them →