The message is lost….

Did anyone see yesterday’s edition of Newsnight?

In truth, I only tuned in for two reasons:

(1) To get the inside track on David Milliband’s subtle allusion to a positive Labour outlook without our belligerent but utterly hapless leader at the helm. Best case scenario in my opinion, I’ve been on Team Milliband for some time.

(2) It filled a gap between Big Brother and Long Way Round.

Effectively, I got what I wanted, but with an extra bonus I hadn’t bargained for.

Who should appear midway through for a grilling on inflation-busting gas and electricity price hikes, but your friend and mine Phil Bentley, Managing Director at British Gas.

Fantastic.

Although presenter Gavin Esler immediately went on the front foot with the question ‘why are you raising your gas prices by 35 percent, when EDF are only raising theirs by 22 percent?’, it became abundantly clear within seconds of Mr. Bentley’s response that public speaking isn’t his forte.

I don’t know if he was caught off guard by the ferocity of Esler’s interrogation, too pre-occupied with damage limitation to answer the questions naturally, or just genuinely lacking insight and understanding, but the responses from Mr. Bentley were consistently unsatisfying.

The one saving grace was an admission from Mr. Bentley that EDF price rises are less severe than those of British Gas because EDF operate more coal-fired, cost efficient power stations. This little factoid was delivered with a somewhat regretful tone.

All in all, I learned very little but a bunch of facts that I and most of the country are familiar with already:

• Britain imports 40% of its gas supply
• The cost of this gas is linked to the cost of crude oil
• Crude oil prices have double over the last 12 months
• Therefore, Centrica must hike prices or operate their gas supply arm at a loss

Amazing, thanks Phil.