Some Political Boulders

Image: © Ian Dodds Taken: 11 Jun 2022

It is unfortunately hard to read the graffiti in this picture, due to a sudden downpour, but the slogan is 'Heat Or Eat', one word of which is written on each of the boulders. The massive increases in gas prices over the last few months are never out of the news at the moment. The Russia-Ukraine war often gets the blame, but it seems that this is just one of several factors in gas's never-ending inflation. What the others are, not being an expert, is hard to pinpoint but it does seem that it may be caused, in part, by climate change mitigation policies: countries that have previously generated electricity through coal, for reasons of dwindling reserves or international pressure, are switching to less-polluting gas, particularly in South Asia. The UK, for whatever reason, has less gas storage capacity than almost every other similar (as in size and prosperity) nation, so hasn't been able to cushion the price rises as much as it's European neighbours, but it seems likely that they too will have this problem shortly. It is all based on real-world wholesale prices, so to cover the costs of the increases and keep consumer prices stable it will ultimately have to be, as it currently is, subsidised by tax revenue. The boulders are near the entrance to a new McDonald's outlet. A few years ago Junction 4a on the M8 was built, with promises of housing (still happening, slowly), vast industrial parks, and a luxury golf course. What there is right now is the McDonald's, a KFC, and a Shell petrol station with a Greggs (a high-street bakers) attached. People are still eating there, in vast numbers, as I discovered when nipping in for my triple-cheeseburger. This doesn't mean however that the consumers aren't affected by the gas prices - this may now be their Saturday night highlight, not having enough money to properly 'go out'.

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