Surprised ?.....

[bazwillrun]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18031209

Theyre buttering us up already
So, a fairly mild winter(apart from a couple of weeks) a dip in profits and what do you know, price increases.
They reduced some prices by a 7% but will now increase by 15% !

Whos trying to fool who here

[Gromit]

We used to all own British Gas and then the family silver was slogged off for peanuts in the 80s. Well they had to raise money somehow to pay to keep a generation unemployed

We were told that privatisation would mean more competition and cheaper bills for us all. All Lies.

[buildersmate]

Dear Gromit
How negative about the Conservative's efforts to reign-in public spending you've become!
Here's the evidence you so desparately needed - from OFGEM.
http://www.ofgem.gov....ing_factsheet_108.pdf

BG was privatised in December 1986 and customer prices fell back from that date until 2005 when we had to start importing gas from Europe and elsewhere. As the article goes on to explain, the wholesale price of gas drives our pricing, and about 50% of the price paid by the consumer is the raw gas, the rest is distribution and corporate costs - largely TransCo.
So have a mild winter and, yes, of course the companies are in trouble as they've sold less gas but their costs are fixed, but was the winter mild across much of Europe? - I don't think so. Remember the stories about folks freezing to death in Central Europe? So the wholesale price of gas, which is tied to the price of oil, is high.

Can't blame Cameron for that - but then, soundbites are always better than factual analysis - both for politicians and ABers.

[Quizmonster]

I realise many think the Tories believe they have a God-given right to govern, so I'm particularly taken with the phrase, "the Conservative's efforts to reiGn-in public spending." Surely this is taking things too far and almost amounts to lese-majesty!

[pdq1]

When is this shale gas coming on line. That should help competition and bring the prices down.