Is it just me or on most occasions do the commentators and interviewers miss the obvious question? Like all I am appalled at how much gas, oil and petrol seem to escalate. We are now told that the Energy Companies’ profits per household has increased dramatically. The answer that came back from them was 'It is all to do with wholesale prices'. Well OK, I can understand that causes the consumer price to increase but then why has their profit per household increased so much? Why in these difficult times are their profits increasing so substantially? Let’s keep their profit the same and peg back the price we pay! Just because wholesale energy prices go up their profits need not!

It’s the same with diesel and petrol. Many of the big petroleum companies are showing record profits, once again at our expense. There appears no connection between moral positions and big business. I laughed at the call for simpler tariffs so that the public could choose between energy suppliers. The simple fact is that it is not in any energy company’s interest to have direct comparisons. The same applies to telecom companies for land lines and mobiles. The more complicated the less likely we will ever know the best deal available.

There is always a catch one way or another and sadly the individual is so insignificant to these massive enterprises. If you leave or stay as a customer it has no effect.

I have for many years believed in market forces and been a City Boy. Today I have come closer to understanding how immoral much big business has become. They hide behind Customer Charters and Quality Assurance schemes but in reality they have lost sight of the fact that we are all humans and some less fortunate than others. In my Utopia small is the new black. We all need to feel valued and value others. I would much rather deal with small local companies than an overseas call centre.

I am also lucky and have had a reasonable education plus consider myself streetwise, but what about all those who have not been so lucky. There is so much small print in everything we do today that companies are quick to point out when things go wrong. We need intervention now to protect the average household. Politicians take heed! My views have changed completely since my hedonistic London days, I would let the Bankers and Gamblers leave London and let's just see how life pans out.