Op-Ed: MPs on the Energy Select Committee have been questioning representatives of the big five comparison websites in the UK and the conclusion is that comparison sites do not always act independently nor point you in the direction of the best deal. On top of that all they earn a fee from energy suppliers if customers switch energy provider in their search for the latest best deal. Should any of this surprise us though? Comparison websites are a business when all is said and done and they need money to stay operational. What will cause anger though is the lack of transparency Under questioning they admitted that they did not always publish the best deal for new customers indicating they are yet another source screwing the British public. Mrs Thatcher's Tory government began the privatisation nightmare which has seen vital services outsourced to private and in many cases foreign companies. She dangled a carrot of free or cheap shares in front of the electorate of the day and Brits lapped it up. It did not take long for small shareholders to sell on and create a monopoly. Thatcher promised a better deal for consumers once competition was introduced into our energy companies but 30 years later, more or less, six big energy firms have the industry sewn up in the UK. Increases in fuel costs are instantly passed on to consumers but price drops take their time to filter through, if at all. In general election year in the UK though it could be a different kettle of fish Political party leaders know fuel poverty and energy prices are big issues in the UK. Will privatisation happy David Cameron and the Conservative pull an energy rabbit out of the bag? They may when Osborne delivers his last budget before the election which will be full of spin, vague future promises and more dross no doubt. As a reminder of how trustworthy they are we have used Cameron's image pledge in 2010 that if they did not deliver on key issues we should kick them out in 2015. As he has failed to deliver on his promises the choice is simple then; vote the Tories out of office. As for privatised energy and water services in the UK re-nationalising is the only way to protect British citizens from unscrupulous foreign investors and the sooner the better.
In 2013 Nestle CEO said Water Is Not A Human Right and Should Be Privatized. Comparison websites may now face some form of regulation.
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