Sunak due to announce new financial measures, at 11am today.

Some may have heard Rachel Reeves response today to Sunaks' speeech. She mentioned the UK's lack of gas storage as contributing to the current crisis and she's right.

We would be in a far better position if the now disgraced Michael Fallon (another sexually incontinent minister) had not agreed to the closure of the Rough storage facility which was owned owned by Centrica, the parent company of British Gas. It provided 70% of the UK gas storage capacity for more than 30 years before it was shut in 2017 following a government decision not to subsidise the costly maintenance and upgrades needed to keep the site going. Fallon argued it would save would save the UK £750m over 10 years which looks piddly compare to the scale of problem now.

Currently there is a surfeit of gas flowing into the UK. Ample supply should mean less volatility in the market and lower prices but because we now have insufficient storage, guess what? The excess is being used to produce electricity ... for France.

Urmstongran

Some households will blow this money, paid direct into their banks.

That £650 should have been a further discount on fuel bills.
A lot of people will blow a cash payment on booze, cigarettes etc.

These support payments are not just because energy will be outside the budget of many but food will be too. Perhaps you would like to identify those on GN you believe will turn to "booze, cigarettes, etc." if allowed to receive this money directly into their bank, to help themselves and their families.

This money will make better decisions possible for people, including some members of GN, who will otherwise struggle. However, I imagine most will not tell you this as it puts them in the way of similar insulting comments.

The comments about cigarettes and alcohol rather reminds me of the two elderly woman sitting in front of me at a carol concert a few years ago. One said she had spent her winter fuel allowance on buying more Christmas presents for her grandchildren. The other said she was putting hers towards another cruise. I wonder if critics of the "feckless" would put these two grans in the same category?

This problem stretches across so many different areas OldDryad. Although I don't know anything about this storage, it makes a great deal of sense that we should have kept it going while replacing it, if necessary.

During this long period of Conservative government we have seen them leave the roof "unfixed". Now the rain is pouring down on us all. We can all see where damage was done and just how much work it will take to make up for their short-sighted, selfish none-decision making.

There was a July 2021 report that Rough could be repurposed for a role in net zero ambition if 1.6bn of government funding materialised. However (and I may be wrong) I don't think it feature in the White Paper on the UK Hydrogen Strategy published a month later. I'll check it out tomorrow.

Thank you

How and when these payments will be made:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10857277/What-does-Rishi-Sunaks-15bn-cost-living-giveaway-mean-you.html

OakDryad

There was a July 2021 report that Rough could be repurposed for a role in net zero ambition if 1.6bn of government funding materialised. However (and I may be wrong) I don't think it feature in the White Paper on the UK Hydrogen Strategy published a month later. I'll check it out tomorrow.

Rough gas storage had a capacity of 9 days supply for the UK so would have been of limited use for current high prices. It was closed for safely concerns, the cost of updating the facility was not deemed worthwhile.

I’m sure the site could be used for any Hydrogen development, although because of the safety issues with Hydrogen in the gas grid its going to be decades before that happens.

DaisyAnne

Chestnut

LizzieDrip

A lot of people will blow a cash payment on booze, cigarettes etc

What an incredibly patronising statement Urmstongran.

Maybe so, but probably true. No-one is saying everyone will do this, but 'a lot of people' is probably accurate. Unless you have proof it is not true you cannot argue with this statement. Some people cannot manage money and spend it as soon as it comes their way. It's no good pretending otherwise.

This is "othering" by the anti-democratic. The poor must be feckless, incompetent and inclined to poor decision making. In this case, it seems to be by the far-right. We've seen it done in the past where people, once grouped in this way, have been driven out or treated as Communist China treats the Uyghurs or Germany treated the Jews, Communists, etc. In these countries, the gullible public followed the propaganda, thus making the dreadful decisions of government, easier. I have to believe that this is not deliberate, but then it wasn't in other cases, was it?

Yes and it needs to stop

I know many people will disagree with me, but it really is time Partygate is put to rest. There are more important things facing the country just now which can't be dealt with properly if everyone keeps going on and on about past events.
Yes, the Cabinet broke the law, but so did thousands of others. Are they being talked about ?
Before anyone says that they lost relatives, my mom died as well, alone and only had family at her funeral.
What is done is done. Let it go and let the country try to recover

Yes somerset10, you're right. Many people do disagree with you.

I'll not be letting it go, not because of lost relatives or any of that. But because our Prime Minister thinks he is above the law, thinks that rules don't apply to him and thinks we are all here just to give him a nice life. How can you actually write, the Cabinet broke the law, but so did thousands of others. Are you happy to let us be governed by law breakers?

The country won't recover until we have a person of honour at the top of government. And people who say its all in the past are playing into the hands of someone who is undermining democracy in this country.

“The country won't recover until we have a person of honour at the top of government. And people who say its all in the past are playing into the hands of someone who is undermining democracy in this country.”

We will have to do the best we can because BJ isn’t likely to be going anywhere soon, it’s only his own party that can depose him and there is no widespread move to do that.
Despite wishful thinking by the media he will probably muddle through to the next election.

I think that the majority of Tory MPs have decided that they can’t win the next election with Johnson.

The decision they have to make is when to get shot of him.

I reckon before the summer recess, then they will have time to sort out a new leader.

I could never be described as a Tory voter or supporter But I could live with a Tory PM that was an honourable person, that wasn't out for all he could get, and who hadn't managed to convince the masses that all the politicians are the same as him.

We will have to do the best we can because BJ isn’t likely to be going anywhere soon, it’s only his own party that can depose him and there is no widespread move to do that.

That's not quite true. As I understand it, if the Privileges Committee find that he knowingly misled Parliament, it could suspend him for 30 days, which would have enabled his constituency to call for a by election.

It is, of course, rather doubtful that the PC will do that, but one can live in hope...

he will probably muddle ^through to the next election.

There is absolutely no guarantee that there will be a 'next election'. The Fixed Term Parliament Act has been repealed so date of next election is in the hands of the PM. So long as he keeps his majority of noddies he could quite easily defer another GE for years. Any legislation that might prevent that can be repealed...

Even if there were to be one, so far we have redrawn electoral boundaries (favouring the tories), voter ID - a way to voter suppression, draconian sentences for protestors (put all his political opponents in prison,where they can't vote..,) political control of the Electoral Commission...

And of course, there are plenty of opportunities to rig postal voting. Which, strangely enough as it is the one practice wide open to cheating, he hasn't touched...

If the £400 energy grant is paid directly to peoples energy accounts (only gas and electricity are mentioned) where does that leave rural communities who have to rely on oil heaters (no gas supply) and have to pay in full before the oil is delivered ?

No Volver, I'm not happy to be governed by law breakers, BUT is now the right time to change the Government with everything that is going on ?

Sunak's measures are welcome even though he has stolen Labour's idea about the windfall tax and even though they may add to inflation later but Johnson is still appalling and should go or be pushed though whether Tory MPs have the guts to do so is open to question. They are too self-interested to act in the public interest.

somerset10

No Volver, I'm not happy to be governed by law breakers, BUT is now the right time to change the Government with everything that is going on ?

Yes. Now is the time.

Is now the right time to stick with a law-breaking, selfish bunch of ignorant wastrels, with everything that's going on?

Or would you rather have a government who have an ounce of integrity and the ability to govern for the good of the people?

somerset10, I do feel for you. In my old house I used to order 600L per month October to April, for the central heating and Aga. At least you will be in credit with your electricity.

somerset10

No Volver, I'm not happy to be governed by law breakers, BUT is now the right time to change the Government with everything that is going on ?

When would be a better time? This government is not functioning, it is lurching from crisis to crisis - with everything that is going on.

Grantanow

Sunak's measures are welcome even though he has stolen Labour's idea about the windfall tax and even though they may add to inflation later but Johnson is still appalling and should go or be pushed though whether Tory MPs have the guts to do so is open to question. They are too self-interested to act in the public interest.

Sunak's measures aren't going to do anything about inflation now. Which is what the government should be addressing.

As I see it they are going to add to inflation as higher fuel prices hit businesses, transport, farming. In fact every fuel user that isn't covered by the household scheme. A great many people don't have enough money to cover increased fuel costs, so having a £400 top up for energy payments isn't going to make them any better able to afford more expensive food and transport costs.

What is even more annoying is that the 'windfall tax' will only take from the energy companies about half of what Sunak proposes to hand them by way of the £400 to all households. So taking with one hand and then giving it all back to them... Energy companies will still be making excess profits; which will go to share buy backs and increased dividends to shareholders. Public money disappearing into the hands of the rich again...

Increasing interest rates is just another inflationary measure, even though it is claimed to be to reduce inflation. This is because, for some incomprehensible reason, the BoE Monetary committee are raising interest rates to dampen demand. Which would be logical if this inflation is demand led (i.e. too much money chasing to few goods). But it isn't, it is cost led,prices are going up because the cost of production is increasing. Which would be better dealt with by price controls and more money put into the economy.. not by taking money out. The BoE folks are supposed to have a grasp of economics, aren't they?

Timed to deflect from the parties debacle, and after considerable pressure from various quarters to do something, anything, to try to appease the public who are becoming increasingly skint, and increasingly disillusioned with BJ's style of government. Oh, and now he's rewritten the Ministerial code of conduct to remove the need for disgraced members of the government to resign! Covering his own ample arse.

I personally see a clear link to the announcement by Offcom re the horrendous increase in energy prices which has forced the government to act. Windfall taxes are a great idea this time but I doubt they can be replicated every year without repercussions to investors some of which might well be pension funds, plus of course reduced investment in green energy solutions which impact us all. This present crisis in energy, food supply and the rest is worldwide and obviously not the fault of the government. The poorest countries will feel it most. While we in this country may well struggle, in many third world countries their citizens, our fellow human beings, will DIE. This, together with the sufferings of Ukraine and the threat posed by Russia to European democracies puts it all into perspective for me despite the inadequacies of this government.

This present crisis in energy, food supply and the rest is worldwide and obviously not the fault of the government.

But some countries have governments who can minimise the effects of it. But not ours. Somebody posted a good article about this yesterday. Using the excuse that its all over the world and we should be grateful for what we have is the kind of thing our mothers used to say. Eat your tea - there's children starving in Biafra.

Didn't work on me then, doesn't work on me now.