Fuel poverty groups are claiming these deaths as a
fact. Yes - we all know that today, fuel costs are grossly
excessive and have a disproportionate effect on the more vulnerable in society but do you actually believe this figure? Can you? Let us assume 100 inquests a week in that one area -
all making this as a declaration. Where are they? - It is simply not
happening. Where are the reported individual cases in the Press? - Would this not all be incredibly newsworthy?It is a gross overstatement and one which undermines an
otherwise worthy case. If they were to say that 'in a number of deaths this
is a contributory factor' - fine.
In many ways this echoes what happened with the link between smoking and premature deaths. Exaggerations ran rampant. (Where the case is strong - do NOT ruin it with silly exaggerations!)
