‘For millions of families’, the Telegraph reports today, poinsettia ‘is as much a festive favourite as turkey and Christmas trees’. Which is odd given that they’re tropical plants which like to be grown at a balmy 20 degrees. But we can expect fewer of them this year because the UK energy crisis means energy bills are up by almost a third for some growers this year. The plants aren’t worth heating. We could see a million fewer of them grown here this Christmas than five years ago, so suppliers are having to bring in lower-quality stock from the continent to meet demand.
Will Ed Miliband pledge a price freeze on poinsettias? And show that socialism can save Christmas? Stranger things have happened. And plenty strange things are emerging from the trebling of UK fuel prices over the last decade. The Spectator’s cover story this week argues that the energy crisis is made in Whitehall, and that all parties are pursuing policies designed to make energy prices higher. The poinsettias will be just one of many casualties. As Germany is discovering, factories tend to close and unemployment looms.
Energy, for so long a peripheral issue, is now back at the very heart of the political debate. We at the Spectator are bringing the key players together in a one-day energy conference entitled ‘How do we stop the lights going out?’ on December 2nd.
Do come along if you’d like to hear Ed Davey, Energy Secretary, Sam Laidlaw, Centrica Chief Executive and top utilities analyst Peter Atherton discuss how afraid we should be. Book your tickets here.
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