It’s January. It’s freezing. Christmas emptied the coffers and now the bills are starting to bite. As the Big Six energy companies rake in profits of 700% and the government freezes the fuel allowance, it’s time to tell the Big Six and the government that we’ve had enough!
Fuel poverty is a public issue, not a private pain. One in four families in the UK is shivering, out of sight, behind closed doors. The government and energy companies may want to keep it this way, but we say this can’t go on.
In the UK, six companies are deciding how 99% of our energy is sourced, produced and priced. Under this monopoly, we have no say in these decisions, despite them having a major effect on our health and our climate.
On the last weekend of January, Fuel Poverty Action will be heating things up!
We’re calling for people to come out of their cold homes and into the warm offices of the Big Six: E.ON, EDF, Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern, Centrica (British Gas), and Npower.
We can also warm-up at the town halls and housing associations, which are putting profit and cuts before people’s welfare.
Bearing flasks of tea and our own experiences of landlords that won’t listen, unaffordable bills, tuition fees, and debts, as well as cuts in services, benefits and working conditions, our winter warm-ups will be taking place wherever cuts are biting and warm spaces look inviting.
This is a call to anti-cuts groups, local youth and pensioner organisations, and anyone suffering in the cold this winter because they can’t afford the heating.
We can find ways forward, collectively, by making ourselves heard by the government and the energy companies. But what do we demand? Some things are clear: Decent shelter and warmth are a right, not a privilege. We should all have well insulated, warm homes and affordable bills that don’t make us choose between eating and heating.
But how do we achieve this? What alternatives are there to a corporate controlled energy industry? How do we shift to sustainable, renewable energy? As we Warm-up we’ll be discussing these important questions and forming a plan to achieve it, come and join us!
Stop shivering in silence, let’s warm-up together!
Details of local actions will be announced on our website:
http://fuelpovertyaction.wordp
The January actions are just the beginning! Fuel Poverty Action is a group of the Climate Justice Collective, which is planning a mass action in late April / May. If you and your group want to get more
involved, come to a planning meeting on Saturday, February 18th, 2011 in Oxford. Look out for an email or check the CJC website for more info closer to the time: http://climatejusticecollective.wordpress.com
The energy companies seem to be unaware of a recession and falling energy prices but have continued to hike prices because the so-called market demands it. But who is regulating the market? The energy companies and shareholders. It is criminal that essentials are subject to market forces particularly when the government has done nothing to create alternatives for UK citizens. We are forced to pay these prices or sit in darkness/cold. The government has to stop this indiscriminate rise of prices
Better Public Services than the Profit Trance of Commercialmus
The Drones are Idiots to Waste so much Money on Christmas Presents
when the Quality of Life is more Important
Regime Newspapers should be Boycotted and Regime Propaganda Challenged
The Welfare of the Poor Social Justice and Human Rights is More
Important than the Capitalist Greed Circus of Slavery
Reduce Railfares Not Increase Rip Off Railfares
The Whole Commercialmus ” Christmas ” Carry On is a Good Profit Racket
For Capitalists and Beer and Skittles for the Stupid Masses.
Decent Government and the Quality of Life is a More Important Matter
The Provision of Warmth Fuel Needs to be a Public Service Accountable
to the Public Not a Private Company Profit Orgy
Profiteering over the Matter of Heating for Places of Residence is
an Example of Capitalist Piracy in Action
It is Totally Disgusting and Un Acceptable that People are Shivering
For Lack of Warmth whilst Politicians Live the Shameless Life of Reily
upon the Westminster Expenses Gravy Train and Capitalist Roadsters
make their Obscene Profits.
Better A Decent Government in Office and Publicisation of House Fuel
Warmth Provision
No Capitalist Profiteering
Support Peace in the World Now and Forever Defend Public Services
Uphold Social Justice and the Redistribution of Wealth from Rich to
Poor
There is No Need For Heating Costs to be so Diabolically Expensive
Equally For the UK to be a Lackey in Wars of Invasion such as Iraq
and Afghanistan or to have anything to do with any Invasion of Iran
Except Oppose any Such Invasion
Social Justice in the UK Now and Forever
May there also be Peace in the UK Now and Forever, So all UK involvement
in warmongering and aggression against Iran needs to be opposed