Ed Miliband’s calculated energy price freeze

It has been pointed out (possibly by me, among many) how hypocritical Ed Miliband is in complaining about energy prices since he was responsible, as Energy Secretary, for driving them up through green levies.

We critics have been slow to realise that it is exactly because of his history that Mr Miliband is pushing his price freeze so hard. He knows — because he helped preside over it — that rises in the levies are inevitable, since they are written into the law of the land and of the EU — not just for now, but for many years ahead.

He has calculated, with the same background knowledge, how he can freeze for a bit (the promise runs only until early 2017) and then let them push up later, or, even better from his political point of view, provoke the companies into raising them between now and the election. If he wins, of course, he will be hoist by his own petard.