BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. (Leosser)

Here in Britain we're experiencing a premature cold start to the advancing winter. This, in turn, tends to make people switch up their central heating an extra notch or two. Well! most people. Unfortunately, there are many older folk who have to make the decision of whether or not to, due to the ever increasing fuel charges of both gas and electricity, and what food they can then afford from what money is left.

According to figures recently revealed, over 31,000 more people died during last winter's extreme weather, due to hypothermia. The next comment is not intended to be flippant, but more older people have died during cold snaps since time immemorial. The author always looks in the 'deaths' section of the local press, and as long as I can remember, the numbers increase dramatically during these extra cold periods.

Nevertheless, it is high time that the UK Government looked more closely at its own performance regarding green taxes; this is the only area that can be controlled, since virtually all the basic fuel for power generation has to be imported. We are told that we have ample resources from shale in the bowels of the earth, but so far, the green lobby is averting this possibility, which means that the elderly will continue to be vulnerable.

Should there be anything amusing about this situation, then it comes from the Labour Opposition in the Parliament in Westminster. Leader, 'Thoroughly Modern' Miliband, was a main architect of the green tax agenda, yes the very taxes mentioned above. He, however, has promised, should he come to power following the next General Election due in 2015, that he would freeze fuel prices for 20 months. It is impossible to imagine how he can control the world market prices of natural gas, for example. This suggestion, in the writer's opinion, has already spooked the market on the domestic front here in Britain. Not only could we be getting unnecessary price increases in anticipation, but just imagine how much they could increase following such a freeze. 'Freeze' could well be an appropriate term, because we could well experience power cuts during such a period.

The real disaster about this situation is down to the appalling handling of the economy during the years of the last Labour Government, which stole the life blood from the thrifty pensioners who had made savings for their retirement, and have been decimated by low interest rates.

UNFORTUNATELY, FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND SIMPLE LOGIC.