Andrew Neil fact checks Burnham rant – ‘doesn’t know what he’s talking about’ | Politics | News

Andrew Neil fact checked Andy BurnhamStatements about water and energy allegedly suggest the next prime minister doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The veteran journalist and broadcaster responded to Mr Burnham’s LBC interview on Thursday (July 2).

In a wide-ranging discussion with presenter Andrew Marr, the Makerfield MP discusses cost of living, water and energy bills. He told Marr that Britons and businesses were paying too much for basic needs, adding that this was “absolutely true” for energy.

Mr Burnham added: “If successful, I would like to produce a plan that would give greater public control over water and energy.” [and] transportation, so that during this time we can reduce bills, reduce wages and give people, businesses breathing room.

“Britain needs more breathing room Andrew, I heard it on the doorstep at Makerfield. We need to get serious about putting more money in people’s pockets.”

In response, Mr Neil posted on social media: “I’m starting to worry that he doesn’t really know what he’s talking about. And he doesn’t have the time to learn. The price of water and electricity is already controlled by the government.”

Mr Neil is not the first to wonder what Mr Burnham meant when he said there should be greater public control of Britain’s water and energy sectors, which are already subject to extensive state controls.

Currently water and energy prices are set by regulators Ofwat and Ofgem. Ofwat sets the prices water companies charge customers in England and Wales as part of a five-year process known as a price review.

This shows that the regulator has set wholesale price limits for each water company, as well as targets for fixing leaks, reducing pollution and reducing water consumption.

When deciding on prices, Ofwat’s aim is to balance lower prices for customers with the need for water companies to fulfill their responsibility to the environment and cover the costs of their operations.

The prices that water companies in Scotland and Northern Ireland charge customers are set centrally through the Strategic Review of Charges and the Northern Ireland Price Review.

The government is already considering an overhaul of how our water is regulated in the Clean Water Bill, which includes plans to crack down on sewer leaks, increase accountability for water company bosses and establish a “super regulator” that would replace Ofwat and the Environment Agency with a single regulatory body by 2029.

Public ownership of water companies was identified as an option by Mr Burnham on the campaign trail in Makerfield.

He told the Guardian newspaper that debt-laden Thames Water should be nationalized and that state ownership of water companies was “definitely an option”.

Mr Burnham said the water sector was run by the private sector rather than the public interest, with shareholders never losing and ratepayers never winning. However, the Government under Sir Keir Starmer argued that nationalizing the sector would be too costly.

When it comes to energy, prices for people in England, Scotland and Wales are capped by Ofgem. It places a limit on the amount energy providers can charge per unit of gas or electricity.

The price cap, valid from 1 July to 30 September, which is reviewed every three months, is £1,862 per year, or approximately £155 per month.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband recently completed a review into the role of Ofgem, which is currently accountable to parliament.

A report by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero includes commitments to modernize Ofgem and strengthen consumer protection.

Mr Burnham has not yet confirmed what he means by more public control or how his ideas differ from current government proposals for the benefit of households.