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| Scottish energy minister attacks Ed Miliband's energy price freeze plan | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has attacked Labour's promise of a UK-wide energy price freeze. | |
| Ed Miliband has pledged to make the big energy companies freeze their prices for 20 months if Labour wins the next general election. | Ed Miliband has pledged to make the big energy companies freeze their prices for 20 months if Labour wins the next general election. |
| Mr Ewing said the policy had been condemned as "completely unworkable". | Mr Ewing said the policy had been condemned as "completely unworkable". |
| But Labour said failure to match Mr Miliband's commitment placed the Scottish government on the wrong side of the argument. | But Labour said failure to match Mr Miliband's commitment placed the Scottish government on the wrong side of the argument. |
| Speaking at Holyrood, Labour's former Scottish leader Iain Gray challenged the energy minister to match the price freeze for an independent Scotland. | Speaking at Holyrood, Labour's former Scottish leader Iain Gray challenged the energy minister to match the price freeze for an independent Scotland. |
| However, in reply, Mr Ewing said a similar policy had led to blackouts in California. | However, in reply, Mr Ewing said a similar policy had led to blackouts in California. |
| He proposed an alternative "super-regulator" for an independent Scotland, which would oversee water, rail, telecoms and the energy industries. | He proposed an alternative "super-regulator" for an independent Scotland, which would oversee water, rail, telecoms and the energy industries. |
| The minister added: "The record of regulators in the UK when one considers regulation of banking, the railway or payday loans isn't one to boast about. | The minister added: "The record of regulators in the UK when one considers regulation of banking, the railway or payday loans isn't one to boast about. |
| "Consumer experts have said that before this freeze comes in the companies will whack the prices sky-high and companies may put off decisions by energy companies to invest in new cleaner generation capacity. | "Consumer experts have said that before this freeze comes in the companies will whack the prices sky-high and companies may put off decisions by energy companies to invest in new cleaner generation capacity. |
| "An arbitrary price freeze has been tried before in California in 2000, which led to blackouts and an increase in the wholesale price of 800%. | "An arbitrary price freeze has been tried before in California in 2000, which led to blackouts and an increase in the wholesale price of 800%. |
| "Never can I recall a measure introduced by a leader of a major political party in the UK which has received such widespread, utter and total condemnation as being completely unworkable. | "Never can I recall a measure introduced by a leader of a major political party in the UK which has received such widespread, utter and total condemnation as being completely unworkable. |
| "And worst of all for Scotland, such an arbitrary measure threatens to impair the essential investment in renewable energy schemes which are so important for this country." | "And worst of all for Scotland, such an arbitrary measure threatens to impair the essential investment in renewable energy schemes which are so important for this country." |
| Speaking after the exchange at Holyrood, Mr Gray said: "Sadly, the SNP has chosen the side of the big energy firms over hard-pressed families being hit with growing energy bills. | Speaking after the exchange at Holyrood, Mr Gray said: "Sadly, the SNP has chosen the side of the big energy firms over hard-pressed families being hit with growing energy bills. |
| "Ed Miliband's plan to freeze energy bills and reform the energy market was welcomed by families who will be dismayed that the SNP government has failed to match this pledge. | "Ed Miliband's plan to freeze energy bills and reform the energy market was welcomed by families who will be dismayed that the SNP government has failed to match this pledge. |
| "Not only are the SNP refusing to support a price freeze, they have set their face against a regulator with the power to control prices in the long run. Fergus Ewing spoke today for the energy companies and against the Scottish consumer." | "Not only are the SNP refusing to support a price freeze, they have set their face against a regulator with the power to control prices in the long run. Fergus Ewing spoke today for the energy companies and against the Scottish consumer." |