You don't have to believe that freezing consumer energy prices is good public policy to see that just three sentences in Ed Miliband's speech to the Labour party conference in September transformed the energy scene in the UK. The opposition leader's comments sent a chill through the market, reducing the value of utility stocks and has left the coalition government struggling to respond to a completely unexpected outbreak of populism. The consequences of the speech, intended and unintended, run on and could yet force a change in energy policy across the EU. Read more | 
