Olly Gough
@ollygough.bsky.social
History of political thought on trade unions and cooperatives DPhil @ Oxford 🎓
Work in comms/policy in the major infrastructure + energy sector 🏗️🚈
Secretary of Hornsey and Friern Barnet Labour Party 🌹
Work in comms/policy in the major infrastructure + energy sector 🏗️🚈
Secretary of Hornsey and Friern Barnet Labour Party 🌹
A baffling decision from Ofgem this morning. Reform to standing to charges would be welcome if it lowered bills for the low-income households, but this proposal will not do that. Both industry and consumer groups will be angry today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Energy standing charge options coming, but they might not cut bills
The regulator's plans could be in place by the end of January, but it warns total bills won't fall.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 8:18 AM
A baffling decision from Ofgem this morning. Reform to standing to charges would be welcome if it lowered bills for the low-income households, but this proposal will not do that. Both industry and consumer groups will be angry today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Cutting VAT would be expensive, disproportionately benefit high-end users, and incentivise energy use. What we need is targeted support for low-income households not shallow savings across the board. If cutting standing charges is also more popular in public polls, then it's a no-brainer, surely?
Today's Poll: Rumours govt may get rid of the 5% VAT on energy bills. Do you support this 5% lower rate or would you prefer energy VAT funds to be used for a flat cut to Standing Charge?
1️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/1" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Get rid of 5% VAT
2️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/2" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Cut Standing Charge
3️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/3" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Either is good
4️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/4" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Don't do either
📊 Show results
1️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/1" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Get rid of 5% VAT
2️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/2" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Cut Standing Charge
3️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/3" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Either is good
4️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/fMwjv5/4" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">Don't do either
📊 Show results
September 23, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Cutting VAT would be expensive, disproportionately benefit high-end users, and incentivise energy use. What we need is targeted support for low-income households not shallow savings across the board. If cutting standing charges is also more popular in public polls, then it's a no-brainer, surely?
Fantastic report. We need to give communities greater control over public services, and directly elected mayors with strong personal brands must be key to this power shift. However, devolution needs to tempered by the need to fulfil national infrastructure ambitions and redress regional inequalities
1) Public Service Reform: services should be delivered by and be accountable to local democratic institutions, supported by national govt. E.g. strategic and local authorities should in the future be delivering and being accountable for services like health, education and criminal justice.
9/13
9/13
September 22, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Fantastic report. We need to give communities greater control over public services, and directly elected mayors with strong personal brands must be key to this power shift. However, devolution needs to tempered by the need to fulfil national infrastructure ambitions and redress regional inequalities
The 2024 Energy Flow Chart shows:
⚡ Decarbonising the grid isn’t enough
🏘️ Heat still runs on fossil fuels
🚗 Transport is barely electrified
💸 Energy waste hurts working families
Labour must lead a whole-system transition — fair, fast, and public. shorturl.at/oTQKZ
⚡ Decarbonising the grid isn’t enough
🏘️ Heat still runs on fossil fuels
🚗 Transport is barely electrified
💸 Energy waste hurts working families
Labour must lead a whole-system transition — fair, fast, and public. shorturl.at/oTQKZ
July 31, 2025 at 12:05 PM
The 2024 Energy Flow Chart shows:
⚡ Decarbonising the grid isn’t enough
🏘️ Heat still runs on fossil fuels
🚗 Transport is barely electrified
💸 Energy waste hurts working families
Labour must lead a whole-system transition — fair, fast, and public. shorturl.at/oTQKZ
⚡ Decarbonising the grid isn’t enough
🏘️ Heat still runs on fossil fuels
🚗 Transport is barely electrified
💸 Energy waste hurts working families
Labour must lead a whole-system transition — fair, fast, and public. shorturl.at/oTQKZ
Dieter Helm hits the nail on the head again. In insulating industry and consumers from the impact of zonal pricing, the government have already guaranteed the policy would not bring intended benefits. If the REMA determines zonal is the way forward, it would be a huge blunder. 🔗⬇️
June 25, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Dieter Helm hits the nail on the head again. In insulating industry and consumers from the impact of zonal pricing, the government have already guaranteed the policy would not bring intended benefits. If the REMA determines zonal is the way forward, it would be a huge blunder. 🔗⬇️
This is huge news for major infrastructure in the UK. The government has far gone beyond what many expected and will drop the statutory requirement to consult at pre-app! This could scrap much irrelevant box-ticking blocking the infra pipeline. questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.
questions-statements.parliament.uk
April 23, 2025 at 3:20 PM
This is huge news for major infrastructure in the UK. The government has far gone beyond what many expected and will drop the statutory requirement to consult at pre-app! This could scrap much irrelevant box-ticking blocking the infra pipeline. questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Interesting research from @moreincommonuk.bsky.social suggests that disruptive protest and the actions of @just-stopoil.bsky.social will only ever convince the highly-educated urban progressives who not only already agree with them, but routinely overestimate public support for their beliefs. 1/2
February 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Interesting research from @moreincommonuk.bsky.social suggests that disruptive protest and the actions of @just-stopoil.bsky.social will only ever convince the highly-educated urban progressives who not only already agree with them, but routinely overestimate public support for their beliefs. 1/2
You can have a radical redesign of energy markets, or you can rapidly upscale investment in new gen to reach CP2030. You can't have both.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Tech firms call for zonal electricity pricing in UK to fuel AI datacentres
Report urges ministers to overhaul market to increase rollout in areas that have ample power generation
www.theguardian.com
February 17, 2025 at 10:23 AM
You can have a radical redesign of energy markets, or you can rapidly upscale investment in new gen to reach CP2030. You can't have both.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Why are archaeological investigation requirements holding up new solar? Their subterranean impact is v. limited. Let's get rid of them, or at the very least provide consistent and proportional guidance. www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
Solar power developers held up by search for buried relics
Green energy industry says requirements for archaeological trench-digging are hindering efforts to reach 2030 generation target
www.thetimes.com
February 15, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Why are archaeological investigation requirements holding up new solar? Their subterranean impact is v. limited. Let's get rid of them, or at the very least provide consistent and proportional guidance. www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
Reposted by Olly Gough
As Martin Wolf, @sjwrenlewis.bsky.social, @johnvanreenen.bsky.social & I all said at the time: the markets were *begging* us to borrow and spend.
An appalling act of economic and fiscal irresponsibility by Osborne and Cameron that will cost us for decades to come.
An appalling act of economic and fiscal irresponsibility by Osborne and Cameron that will cost us for decades to come.
At some point people will look back at the rates available in the 2010s and be utterly bemused that we didn’t take the chance to hugely upgrade our national infrastructure.
on.ft.com/4fNdIQN
on.ft.com/4fNdIQN
UK long-term borrowing costs hit highest level since 1998
Investors worry economy faces increasing risk of stagflation
on.ft.com
January 7, 2025 at 12:46 PM
As Martin Wolf, @sjwrenlewis.bsky.social, @johnvanreenen.bsky.social & I all said at the time: the markets were *begging* us to borrow and spend.
An appalling act of economic and fiscal irresponsibility by Osborne and Cameron that will cost us for decades to come.
An appalling act of economic and fiscal irresponsibility by Osborne and Cameron that will cost us for decades to come.
Excited to see what the new community Right to Buy will look like and how it can be used along with the High St Rental Auction where I am in #Barnet, where too many pubs and community spaces are closing. Huge opportunity for local VCSEs
December 17, 2024 at 8:40 AM
Excited to see what the new community Right to Buy will look like and how it can be used along with the High St Rental Auction where I am in #Barnet, where too many pubs and community spaces are closing. Huge opportunity for local VCSEs
This white paper could change the face of Britain forever. Power will be taken away not just from Westminster but District Councils and given to directly elected popular leaders with personal brands and programmes to develop their regions. I want to know: what will it do for our two biggest parties?
December 16, 2024 at 3:28 PM
This white paper could change the face of Britain forever. Power will be taken away not just from Westminster but District Councils and given to directly elected popular leaders with personal brands and programmes to develop their regions. I want to know: what will it do for our two biggest parties?
Just picked this classic up for only 35p! Interesting how often you hear commentators replicate the early 20th c. new liberal analysis of a 'crisis' of 'decay' of liberalism today, despite not sharing the NLs idealist/organicist philosophy.
September 25, 2023 at 10:56 PM
Just picked this classic up for only 35p! Interesting how often you hear commentators replicate the early 20th c. new liberal analysis of a 'crisis' of 'decay' of liberalism today, despite not sharing the NLs idealist/organicist philosophy.