Brexit Britain is Broken

The day soaring energy prices caused by Westminster hit home

Written by Richard Walker

It’s a strange feeling. Something you simply take for granted suddenly disappears from your life, leaving you uncomfortable, somehow shifting from your bearings.

I received my letter from my energy provider just moments after hearing it had ”ceased to trade”. It was just days after receiving details of how much I would have to pay in my latest bill.

I’d been with Igloo Energy for just over a year and after making my decision to sign on with them I had given the company precisely no thought. Like everyone else, I turn on the heating and hot water, cook my dinner, turn on the lights, the hi fi, the television. Everyday activities and the only time I get concerned is when the bill is higher than expected.

I’m not one of those people who constantly switch suppliers in search of the best deal. It seems to me too much trouble for too little gain. I only switched to Igloo because I moved house so the decision was forced on me.

Of course the UK government is very keen to divert blame away from its door. No surprises there

I’ve been writing about the collapse of energy suppliers and the resulting risk of domestic bills rising. Suddenly the effects of the story have hit home.

Of course the UK government is very keen to divert blame away from its door. No surprises there. Ever since Brexit wreaked havoc with the British – and particularly Scottish – economy Boris Johnson and chums have been desperately denying the impact of their botched arrangements to leave Europe.

UK transport secretary Grant Shapps: ”Brexit will have been a factor”

Those denials have had an increasingly hollow ring. After spending days trying to uncouple Brexit from the petrol problems which afflicted deliveries to garage forecourts UK transport secretary Grant Shapps yesterday finally admitted Brexit ”no doubt will have been a factor’’.

Similarly, the UK government has been consistently denying a link between Brexit and the recent massive rises in the price of energy. Those price rises have to date pushed nine energy suppliers to the wall. Ofgem confirmed yesterday that Igloo, Enstroga and Symbio were the latest three.

But despite UK government denials of a Brexit link it is a simple fact that leaving Europe meant that Britain also left the European Union’s Internal Energy Market, which harmonises energy prices across the bloc.

The Greenpeace Unearthed news outlet was just one organisation which was warning as far back as 2018 of the effects of leaving the internal energy market. It said: ‘’If that happens, electricity bills will probably rise …’’

Igloo describes Westminster’s Green Homes Grant Scheme introduced in England only as  ‘’failed’’ and ‘’mismanaged’’

Apart from the internal market debate Igloo has some harsh words for the UK government in its goodbye message to customers. It describes Westminster’s Green Homes Grant Scheme introduced in England only as ‘’failed’’ and ‘’mismanaged’’.

It also criticises regulator Ofgem for its method of calculating the energy price cap, which it says favours the largest suppliers. The Igloo message states that …’’any calls to review this by the challenger brands, like Igloo, continues to be resisted.

As the fall-out from the energy supply crisis continues to grow it is unlikely the UK government will be able to absolve itself of all the blame.

Meanwhile what will happen to those consumers who – like me – have been told their supplier is no longer in business? We’ve been told any money we have paid will be protected and we’ll continue to receive energy. I don’t yet know who will be supplying the energy or how much I’ll have to pay. Just before publishing this blog I tried an Ofgem link offering ‘’guidance for customers of Enstroga, Igloo Energy and Symbio Energy’’. It didn’t work.


 

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Richard Walker

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