Thatcher unleashed a bunch of Enrons

fleecing the public is good for business.
It was stupid to have the government monopolise heating and electricity.
It's so inefficient.
It's much better to take the riches that Britain provides to all,
and give them away to something called an 'oil company'. Since they
can get the oil, it's theirs, not everybody's.
It's best then to help that oil company re-cuperate its expenses
by gouging the public.
There are now 5 or so energy companies in the UK. They are a cartel,
and fix the prices, which is uncompetitive.
They pass on increases in oil costs , but not the decreases.

Apparently 2000 people die each winter because they don't have enough
money to heat their homes.

I'm sure those companies are trading on CDOs and CDSs as well, with
fancy accounting and the tax haven tricks. Just like Enron, and
everybody else in the oligarchy.

more later

UPDATE:
Ed Milliband has heard the call.

checkitout:
Ed Miliband calls for an end to Britain's 'rip-off consumer culture'
Labour leader urges David Cameron to take a tougher approach to 'predatory' companies that exploited customers
Ben Quinn
* The Guardian, Wednesday 18 January 2012
....
• Energy companies: the big energy firms should be broken up and transparent pricing introduced to enable proper competition.

2 DAILY MAIL
Thousands dying because they can't afford heating bills... and green taxes are adding to the burden

* Cold houses also result in tens of thousands of cases of respiratory problems and sickness
* Profits of energy firms have risen to £125-a-year per customer
* Consumer group says Government is a long way from getting to grips with crisis that puts a strain on NHS during winter

By Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor

Last updated at 3:22 PM on 20th October 2011

Rising profits: The dark yellow net margin line on this graph spikes from August this year upwards, with Ofgem predicting that suppliers' margins will level out more next year if fuel bills and prices remain the same

More than 2,700 people are dying each year in England and Wales because they cannot afford to keep their homes warm, according to an official study.

The spiralling cost of gas and electricity combined with the impact of green taxes is putting health and lives at risk, researchers found.

The study concluded that green taxes on household power bills are ‘regressive’ and have a disproportionate impact on poorer households.

The warning of the dangers to health comes from social policy expert Professor John Hills, of the London School of Economics, in a study commissioned by Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne.

On the policy of adding green taxes to bills, Professor Hills said: ‘Those energy and climate policies that lead to higher prices will largely have a regressive impact.’

He highlighted a government study which found that the poorest one-fifth of households would see their income fall 0.8 per cent as a direct result of green taxes and the move to renewable energy, while the richest fifth would break even.

Professor Hills said: ‘Whether this regressive outcome, which would tend to increase fuel poverty, occurs depends on both more recent developments, such as the Warm Home Discount, and decisions yet to be taken.’

The Warm Home Discount of £120 off electricity bills is currently being offered to around 600,000 of the poorest households.

Green taxes designed to meet a £200billion bill to switch to wind, wave, solar and nuclear power currently add around £100 to annual bills.

However, this figure is set to rise sharply in the next few years and will hit the poor, particularly pensioners on fixed incomes, harder than most.