Energy Companies Threaten Shortages If Not Allowed To Rip Off Customers.

The fat cat multinational energy companies have been very quick to condemn Ed Miliband's promise to curb their rapaciousness. He had barely finished his speech in which he promised a 20 month freeze on energy prices before they were yelling from the rooftops that such out-and-out socialism would lead to power shortages and a collapse of the energy market in Britain. "How dare this man try to prevent us from ripping off our customers whenever we want," one energy company spokesman told our reporter. "Who does he think he is? It's a well known fact that British governments should support big business because otherwise we'll take our bat and ball home. How can we be expected to provide ourselves with eye-watering bonuses and shower cash on our shareholders without charging outrageous prices? It's not fair." The threat of deliberately creating power shortages is a real one and should be taken seriously. So, should Ed back off on his promise and knuckle under to the blackmail of the energy companies? Fortunately there is an alternative to this - re-nationalisation without compensation. Now that is a threat that really has some gravitas.