The Conservatives have gone to great lengths to show they are up to speed on the “cost-of-living crisis”, as Labour would call it.
“For hardworking people” is the tagline of their party conference, and the debates around energy and water have been stressing that Tory reforms will lead to a better market, which in turn will bring down prices – for both households and businesses. And of course they hope these reforms will keep them in government after 2015.
After a deafening silence on the first day, the Conservative response to Ed Miliband’s energy bill freeze promise was on the whole, a considered one.
Energy minister Michael Fallon said: “Our policy, our answer to Labour last week, is more competition and wider consumer choice. Labour talks about the big six – we’ll make companies compete with simpler tariffs, easier switching and by backing new entrants to come in against this.”
He said these new entrants should act as a second tier of suppliers: “We need competition. Competition is what keeps this thing honest.”
But, unlike Labour’s aim to “break the big six”, the Conservatives acknowledge the need for big players with “the big balance sheets to do your investment”.
The Water Bill has been a topic of debate, with environment secretary Owen Paterson saying it will “take the whole industry a step forward”.
He added that the Bill will “deliver a more efficient water industry; I think it is absolutely right reduced prices will be passed on to consumers”.