By Daniel Hunter
The Energy Advice Line has called for a round table energy summit to end point-scoring and bickering by suppliers and politicians over how to reform the market and deliver cheaper prices for consumers.
Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said consumers deserved a consensus approach rather than bickering and finger pointing.
“UK energy consumers want all parties involved in the sector to stop blaming each other and scoring cheap political points, and sit down to resolve the problems that riddle the energy market,” Mr Morgan said.
“In this rush for the moral high ground, consumers are missing out on much needed reforms that could deliver them cheaper prices and a market that actually works in their interests.
“I am calling on all stakeholders — consumers, politicians, suppliers and regulators — to sit down together to devise an energy strategy for the next 5 to 10 years by way of consensus.”
Mr Morgan said the energy market had been dominated by squabbling since Labour leader Ed Milliband had announced a freeze on energy prices for consumers if he won office.
He said suppliers continued to blame government policies for energy price rises, despite reaping increasingly large profits. At the same time, politicians continued to clash over Mr Milliband’s proposed price freeze.
“Consumers are now fed up with the squabbling,” Mr Morgan said. “They know they won’t benefit from a blame game. They need solutions and improvements to the way the UK’s energy market operates.”
He rejected a call by Vincent de Rivaz, boss of Big Six supplier EDF, for the newly formed Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the energy market to ensure that it was operating fairly.
“I suspect that EDF is simply tired of suppliers being accused of profiteering from price rises and wants to get the CMA involved.
“In any event, such an inquiry couldn’t be conducted by the CMA for another year or more.”
Join us on
Follow @freshbusiness
