We Deserve Better Than This

[den the menace]

i read a small article in the daily mirror today relating to energy companies screwing the public, it made the point that usualy bussines's fund future investment by borrowing rather than paying out of income. as we are all aware the gas and electricity companies trot out the old line of "we need to invest for the future", and just carry on shafting us in the same old way.

i have just read in the observer our so called socialist MP urging the elderly to claim all they can towards their fuel bills. it is my opinion that the state has enough information on file about each and every one of us to enable them to ensure that people do get what they are entitled to.

i am so disgusted with this government, what we need is an MP who has some balls, when he spoke up over the 10 pence tax fiasco i thought he may have found some backbone, but alas, he just faded away into the background again.
mouthing platitudes in the observer will achieve nothing, the urgency of this energy crisis demands action, and fast. if i was younger and in better health i would stand against him in the next general election, with a socialist manifesto.

as things stand he will probably lose his seat at the next election, and who could say he would'nt deserve it.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by den the menace

if i was younger and in better health i would stand against him in the next general election, with a socialist manifesto.

Presumably winning the highly prized seat of Hyndburn will give you the power to run the country single handed as you expect Greg Pope to do ?

Is there an age limit to become an MP, whats stopping you running for office ?

[cmonstanley]

the thing is the oil/energy companies are allowed to make as much money as possible, backpocket the country into illegal wars and have the cheek to give the oil /energy companies subsidies by giving the poor and old money to give to them .would it not be easier for the companies who have customers over a certain age discounts...if it was nationalized company it would have been easier and less costly....

[WillowTheWhisp]

I would have thought Greg should be praised rather than criticised for encouraging the elderly and infirm to claim all they are entitled to with regard to fuel bills. Not every elderly person is in the same financial situation and it makes sense for subsidy to go to those who actually need it. I don't think the Government knows enough about each individual to be able to go through them one by one and make such a selection.

The government doesn't control the energy companies and Greg Pope doesn't control the country. Good for him for urging people to get all the help they can.

[jambutty]

It’s all very well giving the elderly and infirm extra money to help pay for the energy bills if they apply for it but that is just papering over the cracks. And don’t forget the cost of setting up yet another Quango to process the claims.

A major pension/disability allowance increase would be in order.

The government pays each pensioner a state pension every week. Prior to Xmas they all get the annual heating allowance with their pensions. The government pays out disability benefits every week or month. So the government knows exactly who would be entitled to any extra benefits for fuel bills. There should be no need to make a claim. But this government also knows that tens of thousands of eligible people will not claim for one reason or another and thus the overall cost to the government will be less than paying them all automatically. Except that the cost of running the new Quango would eat up any savings. But there would be fewer people on the dole so the government could brag about that.

[BERNADETTE]

Why can these agencies not just inform people of what they are entitled to claim?? It is a joke really that we get adverts telling folk to "pick it up its yours". Why not just inform people??

[Mancie]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Why can these agencies not just inform people of what they are entitled to claim?? It is a joke really that we get adverts telling folk to "pick it up its yours". Why not just inform people??

Agreed..I'll tell you what..they'll soon inform you if they make an overpayment or don't charge enough!!

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by Mancie

Agreed..I'll tell you what..they'll soon inform you if they make an overpayment or don't charge enough!!

Won't they just!!!

[Bonnyboy]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Why can these agencies not just inform people of what they are entitled to claim?? It is a joke really that we get adverts telling folk to "pick it up its yours". Why not just inform people??

Originally Posted by Mancie

Agreed..I'll tell you what..they'll soon inform you if they make an overpayment or don't charge enough!!

Agree with you both, the very least they can do is inform people and make sure that they are aware of their options

[den the menace]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Presumably winning the highly prized seat of Hyndburn will give you the power to run the country single handed as you expect Greg Pope to do ?

Is there an age limit to become an MP, whats stopping you running for office ?

no i dont expect him to run the country single handed, but i do expect him to pursue a socialist agenda, not write hand wringinging rubbish in the local rag.

ps. i have a muscle wasting disease so for me standing as an mp is not an option, i whish it was, cos believe me i would do it.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by den the menace

no i dont expect him to run the country single handed, but i do expect him to pursue a socialist agenda, not write hand wringinging rubbish in the local rag.

ps. i have a muscle wasting disease so for me standing as an mp is not an option, i whish it was, cos believe me i would do it.

He has suggested according to your first post that people claim what they are entitled to. Are you suggesting the socialist policy should be to just give everybody money because the latest information they have on file is that they need it. Does the information not need updating which is one of the reasons people have to claim. We would all be the first to moan if the government were sending out money to people who didn't need it.

As for writing rubbish in the local rag I'm afraid if he wrote anything of quality it would be totally out of place in the Observer.