If UK does not use Russian gas then WHY our prices are the highest in Europe??

[IceCreamTime19]

As above

according to martin Lewis (money saving expert)

Martin Lewis is concerned the Government may be looking to blame the entire cost of living crisis on war in Ukraine.
The Money Saving Expert founder spoke to Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday morning, where he revealed he is worried about a "narrative shift" from the Government, ahead of heating bills rocketing in April.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told MPs the British public is willing to make financial sacrifices due to the dire situation in Ukraine, which has contributed to petrol costs rising above £1.50p litre due to oil sanctions on Russia.

"I think he's probably right," Martin told Radio 4's Today programme.
"But I am slightly worried that we are seeing what may be potentially a deliberate narrative shift, that effectively says the entire cost of living crisis is due to Ukraine, and therefore we all need to make sacrifices.
"And that is not correct. What has happened in Ukraine has exacerbated the situation.
"But the rises in energy, heating oil, water, council tax, broadband and mobiles, food, national insurance, were all in place before [Russia invaded] Ukraine.
"And when we have a budget, or a spring statement, coming in a couple of weeks, we need to be careful not to allow that narrative to happen, and to be used as an excuse that we all need to make sacrifices because of Ukraine, and that's why we have to suck in the cost of living crisis, because that is not a correct analysis. It is a worsening of the situation, it is not the cause of the situation."

Wonderful. I started a thread essentially about this. Will link.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/cost_of_living/4622480-wfh-a-cause-of-huge-rise-in-cost-of-gas-and-electricity-price?page=3&reply=119624626

I got a lot of abuse as you can see.

TBH I don't know if I am convinced 50 homes is less efficient than 1 office - mainly because I've seen how (some) offices are run and they have been the most energy inefficient/wasteful places. Lights on, blinds closed, heating and aircon all on at the same time, all devices left on overnight etc. That said, I don't suppose anyone's cut down on that just because 50% of their office is now empty. So maybe it's not a case of wfh being less efficient, but more that any potenital efficiencies are not being realised by offices?

If the prices rises have one silver lining, maybe it'll be for certain businesses to stop being so wasteful about energy. I'd love to see offices properly shut down when not in use, less universal lighting of every single place a human might be at any hour just in case, less using excessve heat in shops etc. etc.

Also, if wfh is responsible for driving up gas and electricity, how come the opposite is not true of petrol/diesel? With so many fewer commutes, surely those prices should have been dropping since about the same time?

Partly because the market is managed to make profits, and supply is not managed to maximise use of cheaper electricity sources than gas?

Can't wait to see MPs muffled upp in coats and scarves in the Houses of Parliament - might make their speeches shorter and more to the point.

You didn't get abused, you got told you were wrong then you threw your toys out of the pram & were called a flouncy little fuck, which to be fair, wasn't wrong.

you're still wrong, but you do you.

I didnt flouce.
But I wasnt going to reply to those who kept on saying Russia, didnt read the graphs etc.
Was more than willing to talk with those who replied sensibly. Still am.

But of course I was abused.
If you dont call that abuse, what is?
Your level of what counts as abuse has to be incredibly high. hmm.