People are comparing this with the Council Tax protest. I think that's a false analogy. The Council Tax was an unfair tax imposed out of an ill conceived political dogma by the Thatcher government and was obviously a mistake. Rising fuel prices are more analogous to the '08 financial crisis in that, unlike the Council Tax which was a purely internal UK mistake, they are caused by external world events outside of the UK's direct control. Unfortunately, unlike the Brown government which took speedy, decisive action, often in collaboration with other countries, the current government is of limited competence and consequently in paralysis.The government can only mitigate the price, there's little it can do to control the wholesale prices underlying the retail rises, although I believe Dale Vince of Ecotricity has suggested they limit the profit level on North Sea gas wholesale prices. That might help but I don't know to what extent or even if it's legal under the operating contracts and international agreements.One way or the other we'll pay for it, but better that's through taxes on excess profits from those extracting the gas than those on universal credit? Or to put it another way, the costs should be levied on those with the means to pay and profiting from the situation, not the poorest?The organisation Paul is promoting might be better branded "can't pay" rather "won't pay" as that will be the reality? Willfully not paying will likely have consequences, expressing a desire to pay but an inability to do so will most likely create action as, for a start, the energy companies' processes will probably be overloaded and unable to cope with one, two, three … million enquiries? I wonder if Ms Truss is secretly hoping she loses and Mr Sunak has to cope iththis pending disaster?
Michael Ixer ● 1022d