Day: December 29, 2015

Dear Editor

There can be very few households in the UK who are not worried by their gas and electricity bills. The advice usually given is to shop around for lower tariffs, but this is no permanent solution. The absolute necessity for everyone to afford adequate fuel supplies is overwhelming but it seems that a few major suppliers have a near monopoly on the industry – and have been making millions of pounds profit.

Just a few examples:

£139 million Scottish Gas, February 2015

£549 million SSE, November 2015

£528 million British Gas (first six months 2015)

£860 million EDF, February 2014

£1.5 BILLION Southern Electric, Jan 2014

And yet there are perhaps millions of people who cannot afford adequate heating!

By any measure, this situation cannot go on like this in the 21st Century. As an essential necessity energy supplies MUST become  publicly-owned industries, working in the interests of everyone; profits made not for private individuals or groups of investors but used to reduce prices and to maintain efficient industries.

Energy supplies must be seen as important to the people of the UK as the NHS has proved to be. Maximum unity of working people is needed to press for these vital public services: it is up to us.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens