Glass Half Full

I find it hard to believe that Alan Sugar is the real author of this opinion piece which appeared in the Mirror newspaper the other day - because it's poorly written and is full of tabloid talk.

For example "There are currently a load of workers in Britain who have part-time jobs, but want full-time work" - now what does that mean and how many people constitute a 'load'?  

I imagine anyone using this kind of vague language on Lord Sugar's The Apprentice programme would get the sharp end of his tongue - or the sack, pretty damn quick.

Lord Sugar was, of course, made a knight of the realm under the last Labour Government in the year 2000 - then Sir Alan was offered a 'baronetcy' by the last Labour Prime Minister, Gordon Brown which meant taking up a seat in the House of Lords - as the 'noble' Lord Sugar of Hackney.

So, while Alan Sugar likes to remind people of his working class background he does gloss over a few things - such as the fact that there are 6 big energy companies in the UK today (more than the number of bean varieties Lord Sugar mentioned) but that this figure was reduced from 22 to 6 - by the last Labour Government.

In which Lord Sugar served as a junior business minister for a period, after his appointment to the House of Lords, without any great distinction it has to be said.

I don't really mind Alan Sugar wearing his political heart on his sleeve, I just think his analysis should be a bit more serious and businesslike - because what difference will a short-term price freeze make to energy prices that are forecast to rise in real terms over the next 17 years?

Maybe what Lord Sugar and Labour could propose is taking one of the Big Six energy companies into public ownership - with Lord Sugar at its head and his reputation on the line - to inject more competition and act as the consumer's friend.      

Figures may suggest a recovery but working people are still struggling and going hungry

Lord Sugar says that the glass may be half full for some - but he won't be getting out the champagne just yet

We have heard lots of talk about the economy moving in to a recovery phase, but this means nothing until the average person’s pocket starts to feel the effects.

For most, the economic crisis has been the rapidly rising cost of living.

Any signs of growth in the UK economy are of course welcome and there has been some recent good news but there is absolutely no room for complacency.

This growth has been a long time coming and the scars it has left on the economy will take a long time to erase. Yes, business confidence is creeping up to pre-recession levels and the unemployment rate has recently fallen.

But while the Bank of England Governor says the glass is half full it should also be remembered that, for the other half, there is still nothing to drink.

The growth we are seeing still does nothing to tackle the crisis that the majority of people are struggling with on a daily basis. Take the positive headlines on the falling unemployment numbers.

There are currently a load of workers in Britain who have part-time jobs, but want full-time work.

And of those part-time workers, some want to do more but can’t get extra hours. So it’s true we have more people working, but the people working those jobs are under-employed, working fewer hours and taking home less pay, while prices continue to rise faster than wages.

Whether you call it a cost-of-living crisis or everyone having to tighten their belts, there is an undeniable time bomb which needs defusing.

In the past three years we have seen the numbers of people relying on food banks treble. Chances are you probably know someone who has used one, although they may not have told you.

This includes thousands of people who are in work but are so poorly paid that they are now unable to fill their cupboards or in some cases their children’s stomachs.

Now, I am not going to kid you that people like me or those working in the City will be making the difficult choice between heating and eating this winter, but there are too many people who will.

They aren’t the scroungers who play games with the benefit system, they are decent people who have a work ethic and do their bit, but are simply being paid less than it takes to live on.

They are the people who share the life I had when I was growing up on our council estate in Hackney, on the terraces of Spurs, in factories and working all hours to make ends meet. They are the ones at the sharp end of a low-wage economy.

It is often said that the simplest solution is usually the best. Freezing energy bills might sound like an overly simple answer to a problem as enormous as our economy, but it is an answer.

It’s no secret I am not a fan of politicians interfering with the free market, but when the market is operating with all the hallmarks of a cartel, in the way that energy companies rip off customers, then that is different.

Buying electricity and gas isn’t the same as buying a can of beans – you get more choice when it comes to beans – value or name brand, organic or barbecue.

But when it comes to where we get our energy from, the options are too limited, especially when they are selling an essential to homes and businesses.

We need much greater competition within this sector before we see a better deal for all, including businesses.

Energy prices aren’t just important for our wallets and purses, but also the pounds and pence of business.

With 90% of businesses reporting that rising energy prices pose a threat to competitiveness, the simplest answer is a load of businesses would benefit from a price freeze, setting them free to grow, hire more staff and greatly reduce overheads.

Schools, hospitals and libraries would also save money from a price freeze and that could reduce public-sector spending and save the taxpayer 100s of millions.

The overall picture isn’t as gloomy as it was a couple of years ago. But as long as this government continues to deliver an economy that can only be described as a glass half full, we should hold back on popping any corks and raising a glass to recovery.