NATO Â wishes to deter Russia from invasion of Ukraine. It also wishes to avoid a major war between NATO and Russia, as President Biden has stated clearly. The response is to tell Russia that there would be a massive retaliation through a new level of tough sanctions damaging Russia’s trade and economy were Russia to break her word and invade.
The West will arm and advise the military in Ukraine to resist any Russian incursion. The USA and UK have visibly sent arms to help Ukraine defend against the mobile armour , rockets and batteries of the Russian forces marshalled near Ukraine’s borders.
The EU has not been present at the main talks and has been strangely silent on this big issue close to its borders. The  German led grouping is very dependent on Russian gas to fuel  its factories and homes as Russia is well aware. Russia, Germany and the EU are locked in debates about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline but they are close partners in gas supply already via Nord Stream 1 and various land pipes.
This compromises their ability to resist Russian aggression. The U.K. needs to understand that gas and energy generally is a crucial part of the power balance in Europe. The U.K. needs to pursue a path of energy independence to keep its strength , just as the USA has done. The USA produces more than enough gas  for her own needs and has a gas price much lower than the European one as a result. Russia  cannot bargain her gas for other advantages with the USA.
UK energy policy seems based on making us more and more import dependent for electricity , gas and coal on Europe. This is a grave weakening of our position which the National security Council  should correct immediately. Becoming import dependent on a Western Europe short of gas and all basic energy , with Germany closing her nuclear power stations and France struggling to keep her old stations in production is a very bad idea.
Policy should be redirected to allow production of more oil, gas and specialist coal in the UK. It is crucial strategically and it is also the greener option than importing the fossil fuel.
January 26, 2022
It’s an outlandish assertion that a body like the NSC is asleep at the wheel regarding the issue of energy security. After all, this PM led body’s primary remit is security. I would argue the NSC is very much awake but have other considerations in mind regarding the issue and supply of power generation. Acting politically appears to be the remit of all governmental bodies and that attitude that elevates political considerations above material considerations is destructive in the extreme
January 26, 2022
With a 35 year old arts graduate in charge of energy policy nothing will be done.
Carrie Antoinette has to be removed from the levers of power.
Get a grip.
January 26, 2022
@Ian Wragg; But then when many of the long term energy decisions our country needed to be come available now, or within the last 20 years, should have been made we had a Chemist (educated to degree level at Oxford) in her late 50’s at the helm, someone who also appeared to be more concerned ‘eco-issues’ rather then the UK’s stand alone, if needs-be, future energy security. What is more our host was her chief policy advisor for some of that period….
I’m fast coming to the conclusion that, between hard line capitalists and champagne socialist over the last 42 years, the UK has been well and truly strung-up. As you say, all sides need to “get real”, and fast.
January 26, 2022
Many silly suggested reasons for things not happening as they should are put forward by those trying to inflate themselves in regards to certain degrees and place where they studied for a few years at University. This is a problem . It is what persons can achieve regardless of their few years educational taught background which matters. The University of central Lancashire ; a more realistic uni, attributes life experience and out- of- university learning to an all round adult, able to rationalise, make unbiased decisions with an insight into modern ethical concerns.
January 27, 2022
@MB; Indeed, and life experiences often plays far more an important roll in future decision making that education, for example it is said that Macmillan never forgot his time as MP for Stockton-on-Tees during the 1930s depression and what he witnessed, whilst many other post-war politicos of that era never forgot their experiences fighting WW2, or of supplying the war effort from the Home Front. A collective experience that brought about a postwar political consensus.
It seems far to many, from the baby boomers generation and beyond, now have little or no life experience outside of their Degrees level educations and their post-grad jobs for either their chosen party HQ or an MP, never working in industry or the professions before becoming a full time politician themselves. “Young and Bright” they might be but sans any knowledge of life outside the village bubble.
January 26, 2022
Jerry.
Were all governments in the last 42 years really either Champagne socialists or hard line capitalists?
John Major?
Gordon Brown?
David Cameron?
Theresa May?
Just a polite question Jerry
Please don’t get all inflamed.
January 27, 2022
@Peter2; Yes! The UK have not had a decent govt since before 1979, we have likely not had a level headed govt since the early 1960s, if not before, in my opinion, happy know?
But then you already should have been able to deduce that, it will also be noted you chose not to argue the metrical points I raised, just (two of the) the words used, as usual…
January 27, 2022
Well I understood the rest of your post Jerry but I didn’t think this bit was correct that’s why I commented on this particular bit.
I was just asking if you thought the Prime Ministers I listed were examples of champagne socialists or hard line capitalists.
In my opinion they don’t fit either description.
January 29, 2022
+1
January 26, 2022
The government is now planning more wind capacity!! It doesn’t matter how many windmills there are – no wind means no electricity.
January 26, 2022
Indeed or too much wind and they need huge subsidies and gas, coal, oil or nuclear back up.
January 26, 2022
Jacob Rees Mogg says “Boris gets the big issues right” – no not at all – nearly all the lockdown were a big mistake, the failure to vaccine men younger than women killed many, the net zero and expensive energy policy is mad, the dumping of Covid patients into care homes, the massive manifesto ratting tax grab, the failure to have a bonfire of red tape, the failure to take robust action in NI, retaining the current NHS communist monopoly system, the huge attempts to destroy private rental sector and damage tenants, the attack on the banks, the open door and assisted crossings to Dover, the ÂŁbillions pissed away on test and trace, HS2, EVs, Heatpumps…
January 26, 2022
+1
January 29, 2022
+1
January 26, 2022
Stop confusing things with logic. If you have an engineering qualification like I do you must be ignored.
January 26, 2022
Still the government are moronically importing wood on diesel ships and trucks to burn at Drax so as to pretend it is low carbon when it is higher than coal per KWH of energy produced.
January 26, 2022
LL. Yes and now talk of importing LNG from Australia. If this government is so intent on net zero wouldn’t it be better to have the stuff that’s under our feet right here in the UK? Does anyone know how to do joined up thinking or even join the dots?
January 29, 2022
“Net Zero” is simply code for destroying life as we knew it and imposing global government whilst benefiting the self-declared “elite”. We need to resist.
January 26, 2022
And it doesnât matter how many wind turbines they build the cost of your home energy bill isnât going to get any cheaper
January 26, 2022
@ DOM – the assertion could be outlandish but that does not mean it is invalid.
An outlandish assertion would be to say the country is being run in the intervals between parties. !
January 26, 2022
The EU has through very bad decisions on energy policies dictated in some ways by misguided principles on nuclear generation now find themselves in dead end street. They no longer have any control over their energy supplies and this has made them in many ways subservient to Russia. Their sitting on the wall over the problems on the Ukraine borders proof enough of their predicament they have put themselves in.
Wind, solar power was and never could be the panacea to all their energy requirements.
What have our government decided to do? Rely on the EU and some other states for our power when wind and solar cannot operate. Import wood chips from Canada and America. All the time the UK has underground resources untapped. All because of the green policies , scaremongering, ignorance and incompetence that has allowed all this new breed of religious saving the world zealots to take control of our energy policies. Until the Climate Change Act is repealed and the real energy experts are listened to then this country is fast approaching joining the EU in dead end street. Russia, China, India and even the USA will thank us enormously for our stupidity and arrogance fo not admitting we have got it oh so wrong.
January 26, 2022
+1
You forgot to add greed and corruption.
January 26, 2022
Mark B
Next time
January 26, 2022
It does make me ask if Russia and China are behind the great Climate Change scam, as they seem to be the only ones benefitting from it.
Maybe the conspiracy theoriests are right for once.
Our Government’s decisions make no sense so we need to look for an alternative explanation.
January 26, 2022
You may find that Russia and China have been closer than you think for longer than you think.
The KGB defector,Anatoly Golitsyn(considered reliable – in so far as you can ever be sure),thought that the whole Sino-Soviet split was a gigantic ruse.If that was true it would utterly mindboggling!
Maskirovka,tovarich,maskivrovka!
Will Greta receive the Order of Lenin (first class)?
January 26, 2022
When in doubt, ask yourself this very simple question – Cui bono ?
January 26, 2022
Maybe the conspiracy theoriests are right for once.
…
For once lol?
January 26, 2022
âAll because of the green policiesâ that are not even in reality green, sustainable or even beneficial quite the reverse in general.
January 26, 2022
Turboterrier, if we were watching some kind of disaster TV drama series and this sequence of political actions was unrolling on our screens, I suspect we would all be ridiculing such political (in)actions, to the point of switching to another channel while muttering “it could never happen in real life”.
January 26, 2022
S M
Totally correct. You cannot make it up.
January 26, 2022
SM. Yes but it bloody well is.
January 26, 2022
Millions of us outside the politicos bubble have been saying this for years. National security should be the first thoughts of all Westminster Parties. No its PC, wokery, diversity, pro minority issues, climate change nonsense etc. We all know it and witness the claims in MSM daily. We have had enough and no longer listen to the foolishness. It’s as plain as the nose on our face. We’re waiting for the fools in Westminster to catch up. Be brave and start fracking, coal, oil and gas extraction. Greta has no scientific qualifications or the clown and her husband in No 10.
January 26, 2022
+100 On the money.
January 26, 2022
+1. turboterrier. I fully agree on all.
January 26, 2022
Gosh!
And all this brewing during an outbreak of plague?
Movement of 100,000 troops when it is still supposed to be lurking?
(But actually the powers that be have dropped that particular hot potatoâŠvery suddenly).
AND in lockstep with a fuel crisis.
Youâd have thought that sabre rattling would be the last thing on anyoneâs mind!
January 26, 2022
The sabre rattling and the new fear (Russia) is designed to deflect attention away from the Scamdemic. Bait and switch.
January 26, 2022
+1
Absolutely!!
January 26, 2022
Aye – representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France met in Moscow to discuss the ongoing security crisis in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. The four countries make up the “Normandy Format”.
As one of the Big Three in the European Union, then had the UK remained a member it probably would have been there too.
It’s pretty irrelevant now.
January 26, 2022
Good.
January 27, 2022
I bet the Russian delegation were quaking in their ‘jackboots’.
January 27, 2022
âThe Normandy formatâ met in Paris on 26/01.
January 27, 2022
We were excluded from negotiations at the time of the Maidan(even before the Brexit ref);I remember the ridiculous Polish FM crowing that Poland was now(after France and Germany) the third voice in foreign asffairs in the EU.
January 26, 2022
Perhaps, but either way they are behaving very incompetently and foolishly. Policy should indeed be redirected to allow production of more oil, gas and specialist coal in the UK. It is crucial strategically and it is also the greener option than importing the fossil fuel.
Alas we have to get this past theatre studies graduate and wall paper enthusiast Carrie, the deluded dopes on the Committee for Climate Change chaired by an historian and MPs almost all of who are deluded art graduates, believers in the net zero climate religion and attached to this insane and rather dangerous policy. A policy that does not even save any worldwide CO2 in reality, it just exports its production. Not that a little more CO2 is a serious issue anyway as sensible scientists know. Probably on balance a net benefit.
January 26, 2022
almost all of whom
January 26, 2022
… almost all of whom are PPE graduates …
JF
January 26, 2022
I wonder how many MPs know that once CO2 falls below a certain level – about 180 ppm, if my memory serves me correctly – that plant life dies, followed by the human race. And that even today, greenhouse operations will be boosting CO2 levels, way beyond those in the atomosphere, so as to grow the food needed by growing populations.
January 26, 2022
Indeed we are in a period with rather a dearth of C02 plant food. Most plants, crops and trees would benefit from more and indeed from being a little warmer. They also tend to lose less water when more CO2 is available thus saving on water & irrigation.
January 26, 2022
I read 140 ppm.
January 26, 2022
Agreed.
January 26, 2022
I agree and expect ACTION by our lamentable government this year.
Some Defence thoughts. Will we now see an EU – looking for an opportunity to show its military strength – deploy EU defensive capabilities to neutral Sweden and Finland? And will the EU tell worried Sweden that its spending 1% of GDP on Defence isn’t anywhere nearly enough and that it should double its expenditure to match Finland’s?
January 26, 2022
Wallace’s trip to Scandinavia was utterly pathetic and delusional.The Finnish President phoned Mr Putin two days later and they congratulated each on the 30th anniversary of their friendship treaty.Russia considers Finland a brotherly nation -there are numerous closely related ethnic groups in Russia-Karelians,Komi,Mordvins,etc
January 26, 2022
Good morning.
The situation with Ukraine is to do with Russia securing her Western borders from attack.
If Russia were to invade and the Western allies imposed sanctions then it is probable that Russia will retaliate but cutting off gas supplies. If this were to happen there would be a scramble for gas on the world market sending prices skyrocketing. This will lead to higher food and material costs quite possibly starting a world recession. We are in a weak position and Russia knows this, hence why I believe we are seeing this military posturing.
The silence of the EU is truly something to behold. Obviously countries like Poland matter less than the German car industry đ A club where the Franco-German alliance makes the rules. A club many in our parliament wish to rejoin, and as such, I see them as a far greater threat to our nation than the Russian Bear.
January 26, 2022
+1. Mark B
January 26, 2022
Mark. Good post.
January 26, 2022
If this (new?) awareness of energy insecurity provides a reason/excuse to adopt an energy policy that makes use of the UK’s natural energy resources then it will have served a useful purpose.
January 26, 2022
Many of us have been saying for a while that this government is making us more reliant on the EU for energy and food, instead of distancing ourselves. This is a deliberate strategy and is bad for our country, both in financial and security terms.
What happened to Brexit? Were the promises just more lies?
January 26, 2022
Philip Johnston today – âIf Boris survives this mess, he needs to start governing as a Conservative
Tory MPs will be asking what is the point of the PM staying in office, if all he does is raise our taxesâ
Alas that is not all they are doing, they are also largely wasting all the proceeds, delivering poor and declining public services, a dire state monopoly NHS, giving us expensive and unreliable energy, blocking the roads, spewing out even more red tape all over the place (that generates more and more parasitic and unproductive jobs in state and private sectors), demanding we but heat pumps and EVs (that save no CO2 over retaining you old car after the energy of construction of car and battery is allowed for anyway), failing to control or deter illegal immigration, damaging our defence massively, giving millions in soft loans to people studying largely worthless degrees (and thus not working until 22+), patently failing NI and pushing woke, PC lunacy at every turn.
January 26, 2022
We are still complying with the EU’s policy of Energy Interdependence; the UN’s; Climate Change objective of Net Zero and the WEF’s Great Reset.
Since virtually all the same people are in place who sanctioned and supported these objectives – including in the National Security Council – I don’t see any great epiphany happening any time soon.
We are to be made more reliant on foreign supplies; forced to rely on intermittent renewable energy and our standard of life is to be significantly reduced.
If the National Security Council was doing its job it would never have allowed this situation to develop in the first place.
January 26, 2022
If the NSC wakes up then what *can* they do exactly ? What possible short-term solution is there ? None.
January 26, 2022
Making a start would be a result. Issuing some fra king and north sea licenses would be great.
Giving support for the Cumbrian coal field would help.
January 26, 2022
Ian. And creating jobs where they are needed.
January 26, 2022
The pusillanimous uselessness of the EU is very concerning. An illustration of what a bad idea it is the EEA was ever allowed the mission creep of turning itself into the EU superstate, undermining NATO and the global western alliance. Directionless appeasement by Germany and vainglorious posturing by preposterous M. macron (has there ever been a better advertisement for monarchy than the election of such a person as president of a great nation?)
January 26, 2022
I meant the EEC
January 26, 2022
After the horrors of many wars and a deeply damaging depression, it was understandable that something like the ECSC, later to become the EEC and then the EU was bound to happen. The problem was, too many countries, including the UK, joined for all the wrong reasons.
January 26, 2022
The European Union has no military nor defence policy.
You mean nations within it, rather, it seems.
Whatever Germany and France decide, at least they were at the talks, unlike the UK.
January 26, 2022
That is very odd NHL
Have you not read the EU’s “Security and Common Defence Policy”
Aka…CSDP
Easily available on the Internet if you search.
January 27, 2022
Yes, and on leaving they will all have a white paper to wave at the media, beaming success.
January 26, 2022
Few on here would disagree with you Sir John. All this has been said over and over again on this blog, to no avail.
I believe that those in charge are wilfully acting against the interests of our country. If they cannot see something so mind bogglingly obvious then they are completely unfit for whatever position of power and influence they hold.
I feel a deep burning anger against this government, and in fact this parliament for the sheer ignorance, and in many cases, the anti UK sentiments they hold. Especially those at the top of decision making. PPE graduates or classics? Have any of them had a high school education that taught them anything useful at all?
January 26, 2022
B O F
Your second paragraph is the most frightening. Even if there was a change at the very top those that you talk about will still be holding very high positions in government and the civil service.
Seismic change has got to be implemented regardless of the fallout.
There are more than enough experienced, knowledgeable, trustworthy and professional members banished to the back benches could deliver what is required to regenerate the party and the country’s future.
January 27, 2022
Your second paragraph is the most frightening. Even if there was a change at the very top those that you talk about will still be holding very high positions in government and the civil service.
…
drain the swamp. All systems fail in the end and political and spiritual revolution is needed.
January 26, 2022
Everybodyâs too busy spinning that Boris was ambushed by a cake, never heard that one before, Sunak accidentally arrived at a party, Blunt tells us not to moan as we l all did it. No we didnât.
On a par with a comment in the Sunday Times years ago that a woman groped under the table could have mistaken a hand for the table cloth!
In the advisory role you mentioned yesterday please tell these people that it is condescending rubbish and they are making matters worse. Rees Moggâs statement of support, pathetic.
January 26, 2022
Indeed. I’m very surprised at JRM’s statements and defence. His ambition mocks his intelligence.
January 26, 2022
It would have been far easier to preserve national resilience if these vitally-important industries had never been handed over to the only-for-profit short term boys, wouldn’t it?
January 26, 2022
Dealing with commercial businesses has been a pleasure compared with useless nationalised monopolies of the past.
If the EU and UK would stop interfering with restrictions based on green theories they would be able to bring much cheaper energy to people.
January 26, 2022
Clearly lessons have not been learn’t from history about the benefit of security, and self sufficiency, not just in our own Country, but elsewhere throughout the World with regards to the basics of life.
Power generation, fuel, food, water, and borders.
The tactic of operating a siege has been used for a thousand years, it used to be mainly just food, water and arms, now it is a little more sophisticated, and would also include pipelines, undersea cables, electronic disruption, hacking, etc etc. etc.
The methods may change a little, but the aim is the same, Control.
January 26, 2022
alan jutson
Well said Alan.
January 26, 2022
On topic this is precisely why Boris does not have a groundswell of support maybe to âcushionâ him from current troubles. No pun intended.
He has blindly continued with his green agenda ignoring criticism as some of the obvious nonsenses, eg more CO2 abroad to reduce ours, compromised our security as you point out, allowed eye watering cost increases not helped by a green energy tax, brought forward Net Zero date, forcing change and cost when the technology is not ready and this is just one area.
Broken promises litter his time in office, BS on Brexit but little change acquiescing to the Remainer establishment, Nat Ins, No border in the Irish Sea, Triple lock, taking on the blob etc.
Even now travel testing at a great cost and inconvenience to us and proven to be useless. Why wait three weeks to stop it, why not now?
All give the impression that the Government is totally disconnected from and uninterested in the voters.
January 26, 2022
The answers you got from the Business secretary, a short while ago, to your questions in the House covered the same points and it would appear that either there has been no change in policy since PM May or the Business secretary wants to keep us attached to the EU.
Either way he should be removed so that we can endeavour to be as self sufficient as we possibly can be for energy. Open up our gas fields, install small nuclear power stations and use the very many tidal streams that we have around our coast for a sustainable supply of electricity.
January 26, 2022
Sir John,
They are awake and deliberately pursuing the policy of making our country dependent upon others. To stop that, it is likely that the people in government who set that policy must be changed.
January 26, 2022
You are obsessed with attempting to “prove” that there is a shortage of gas – ad nauseam. There is no shortage of gas. This from a very well researched article yesterday from your bĂȘte noire, the BBC:-
“About half of UK gas supplies are of domestic origin, from the North Sea”
“Another one-third of the UK’s gas comes through pipelines from Norway”
“The rest consists almost entirely of imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which arrive in Britain by sea from countries such as Qatar, the US and even Trinidad and Tobago”
“The small amount of Russian gas that does reach the UK comes in LNG form”
Currently there are 9 LNG tankers on their way to the UK and one of them is Russian. The actual big problem is lack of storage, thanks to May’s MAD decision to allow the closure of our Rough storage field. Fortunately our modest storage asset on the Isle of Grain is being extended by 25% by the construction industry, as are our other two.
I am still waiting for the lights to go out this winter. This morning our lunatic renewables are producing an insane amount of 11.5GW – or 28% of electricity demand again.
Reply The gas price has shot up because there is a shortage. The grid is having to pay very high prices to burn coal it does not want to burn to keep the lights on.
January 26, 2022
Renewables re not efficient but rather than nothing, it is always strategically advised to have an insurance policy/ Plan ABC etc. Never show vulnerability to those who seek to out power. Dismissing everything as useless is not the way to keep a stronghold. Divorce : Brexit may not have been but condoning a possible threat to EU gas power by not siding with the Ukraine we are not part of anymore.
January 26, 2022
Right to reply
There isn’t a shortage of Gas, just an unwillingness to drill for it in the North Sea or frack for it in Lancashire
January 26, 2022
You were warned that Brexit would mean the UK would be going it alone, unable to influence other stronger players. You were warned that Brexit would set you free to whine, but not to act effectively. You voted for it.
January 26, 2022
Who’s whining now? You never stop.
January 26, 2022
Can you not see the trap into which you have just fallen?
It is you, not simply-factual Gary who is whining, isn’t it?
January 26, 2022
Thanks for the warning. Unnecessary, though. Being unable to influence other, stronger players is fine with me. All we need to do is forget ‘other players’ and concentrate on our own game. We should be self sufficient in energy and food and produce the vast majority of manufactured goods we need ourselves. Stuff other players. Global trade is a disastrous race to the bottom.
January 26, 2022
Yawn. Boring Gary.
January 26, 2022
My biggest worry is that the senile old man in the USA will be blissfully unaware of what his subordinates are doing to distract from the car crash that is their administration and influence. Their inflation problem is on a different scale to ours and crime among the melanin enhanced population is appalling.
So our role should be to counsel peace. Boris, who is already tarred by the Dems as being a mate of Trump, should adopt Trump’s stance with Russia and advise the Biden mob (sic) accordingly.
January 26, 2022
What we could do quite quickly is build more gas storage. I dont know what else could be done quickly.
January 26, 2022
While there are great positives from cleaning up our environment, going green, as the UK and the EU choose to interpret it has proved an enormous elephant trap into which they have all mindlessly drifted. Once there they are ripe for the picking by those who control their chosen energy sources, namely Putin and his compliant ex KGB oligarchs who have been systematically hoovering up Russia’s assets since the departure of Yeltsin. They have such immense wealth scattered around the World, there being no point in having it in Russia, that they are immensly vulnerable. We should be making the rape of Russian assets and industrial wealth known in detail to the Russian people via the internet and the BBC World Service. That would be a real lever for good behaviour on Putins part.
Then the UK and the EU should have a drastic rethink of their respective energy policies. We should be fracking like mad and exploiting off shore gas assets, possibly supplying some of it by pipeline to the EU via Channel Tunnel 1 or a dedicated Pluto 2. Longer term, unspecified because I don’t know where Rolls Royce are up to with it, we should be using and exporting their SMRs to the EU. Some time ago the Merlin helped save Europe, time for RR’s SMRs to do it again soonest.
January 26, 2022
Dear Sir John. Please please get hold of a couple of âscepticâ scientists and receive a quick lecture covering the contribution of CO2 to our climate (tiny), the rise in CO2 (inevitable and mostly not human caused), what ECS means. And an engineer to explain that Net Zero will be âan unparalleled economic calamityâ (Lawson) Oh, and do you have a definition of Net Zero? I donât and Iâve been looking. Best wishes.
January 26, 2022
GL, +1, Good advice there.
January 26, 2022
A very good comment Sir John.
May I also remind of the EU and US provocation of this situation. A democratically elected Ukraine PM was ousted after he preferred a loan from Russia to an agreement to vassalage with the EU. There were videos showing US politicians stoking up protests in the Ukraine which I cannot find now, however CATO provides some insight into US hypocrisy.
Meanwhile, the UK should NOT be getting involved. This is simply doing Germany and Frances dirty work for them. And how will this end up later do we think? I have truly had enough of government wading in to international issues âon our behalfâ at very great cost and no benefit whatsoever. This government cannot even control our own borders let alone fiddling around with anyone elseâs.
We owe absolutely NOTHING to Ukraine. It is corrupt and illiberal, and what is the benefit to the British people? It will ultimately end in anger and blame toward us, as it always us. And no doubt we could then expect to accept several million Ukraine refugees after we are deemed to cause a mess.
We need to STOP doing the dirty work for France and Germany SOONER rather than later.
January 26, 2022
Mrs Blogs. Agree. We’ve done too much in the past and it has got us nowhere. The French still hate us and nothing will change no matter how much we help with this latest problem.
January 26, 2022
I would also like to ask, how does it benefit the UK to assist EU expansion?
January 26, 2022
Oct 20 2021 “PRESIDENT BIDEN has taken a swipe at Britain’s special relationship with the US after the US president backed the French as America’s oldest and most loyal ally. Theyâve been with us from the beginning â and we will always be there for them” Daily Express – Where are the French now?
January 26, 2022
The French are talking to the Russians and to Ukraine, unlike the UK.
January 26, 2022
They are really good at talking.
January 27, 2022
They will be saying ‘come to meet us in Paris, we can have a nice lunch’.
January 27, 2022
France is officially the US’s oldest ally-reflecting the assistance (against the British) provided during the War of Independence.
January 26, 2022
O/T – I was pleased that Blue Boris also wants to “avoid a major war between NATO and Russia”, in apparent contrast to your warmongering colleague the Warmonger Ellwood. He might have learnt in a previous job how to salute and stand to attention but he knows far too little about military strategy and statecraft.
January 26, 2022
BREXIT BRITAIN is making strides in becoming “energy independent” as two stunning deals have been signed that will help slash the UK’s reliance on foreign imports, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has exclusively told Express Jan 26, 8am.
January 26, 2022
Is that the BritishVoltUK announcement of its gigafactory in Northumberland with ÂŁ100 m put by the Treasury and ÂŁ2 bn put by investors Tritax and Abrdn announced on 21 January on gov.uk?
January 26, 2022
You really shouldn’t trust anything that Krazy Kwarteng says. The “two stunning deals” are both old news – the RR SMRs and BritishVolt. While these are both undeniably positive progress, they also highlight a FAILURE of both Kwarteng and the government in general, since had the government put more funding in earlier these would both be much more advanced today than they currently are. In other words, these achievements have been HELD BACK by the government!
January 26, 2022
I presume that British Volt is going to be largely dependent on Chinese lithium carbonate and cobalt.
January 26, 2022
Indeed, the Swedes appear to have had the first battery cell coming out of their own gigafactory in SkellefteĂ„ at the end of Decemberâ21 (thebarentsobserver.com, 29/12/2021, âEuropeâs first full-fledged battery gigafactory starts production in northern Swedenâ).
January 26, 2022
Putin must be laughing at the whole of Europe, especially Germany, for allowing itself to become 100% dependent on Russian gas. He must also regard the UK with contempt because, unlike Germany and other countries, we have the resources under the North Sea to be self sufficient but our politicians ( with one or two notable exceptions ) just don’t understand what’s at stake, despite the immediate evidence of soaring energy bills.
The Chinese also know that being self sufficient in energy is strategically vital. They are laughing at all of the UK’s political parties for their policy of impoverishing our country in a futile attempt to show the rest of the world an example of what they should be doing about climate change !
January 26, 2022
The bigger issue is the German silence on Russian aggression, the bended knee would be forced one day and Putin is relentless. The pitiful lack of outrage from EU was to be expected – the consequence of allowing Germany to head the group’s politics. Cowardice! unlike Germans of the past, but directly linked to their intention to continue industrial might and maintain their set of serfs.
No doubt the UK authorities have been watching the escalating threat to our energy supply, but little, perhaps zero, activity to address the growing concern.
January 26, 2022
Sir John seems to be increasingly at odds with his own party. No wonder, when we look at their output of legislation, if we did not know any better, we could be living under a Corbyn government. The recent idiotic Highway Code changes. Net Zero; payroll tax increases; throwing money at the NHS….etc need I say more?
January 26, 2022
Indeed anybody sensible would be at odds with this socialist, tax to death, PC, green crap pushing, moronic Tory party. But then all the realistic alternatives to Boris clearly far worse & Labour/SNP even more so.
January 26, 2022
I would hardly call 10%/12% of the Russin militray of 100.000 to 120,000 men a build up to war with a border of over 2000 km long with most stationed in Crimean which is a militray base, Never heard of so much crap, the kids have nothing better to do, can you find them some work John.
January 26, 2022
âThe EU has not been present at the main talks and has been strangely silent on this big issue close to its borders.â
What is the EUâs game?
The EU meddled in Ukrainian politics and wanted to expand eastwards into the former Soviet Union, with our own PM, Mr. Cameron going to Kazakhstan in 2013 and declaring that the EU should stretch from the Atlantic Urals.
It was Mrs. Merkel (brought up in East Germany, speaks fluent Russian and formerly a senior member of the Russian propaganda organisation known as Agitprop) who initiated Germanyâs Energiewende, closed down nuclear power stations and built the NordStream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.
January 26, 2022
All Government departments, including the NSC, now have the Net Zero Strategy as their top priority.
Our weak PM (Oxford, Classics) has been stitched up by the civil service into believing that he save the World by unilaterally cutting our net CO2 emissions (1% of the total) to zero by powering our whole country on âthe breezes that blow around these islandsâ (Conservative Party conference speech October 2020).
This isnât going to work and the pro-EU Marxist Britphobes in the civil service know this.
January 26, 2022
Agree but the fact remains that this blog preaches to the converted and the writer appears to have no seat/influence at court. Are we wasting our time by listening to SirJR rather than taking on this inept government directly.
January 26, 2022
Why not both?
January 26, 2022
“The EU has not been present at the main talks and has been strangely silent on this big issue close to its borders.”
Yet the EU is not a State, whilst I’m sure the 27 States who are also members of NATO have been involved within the NATO umbrella, our host appears to be trying to make an irrelevance the bogyman.
“The USA produces more than enough gas for her own needs and has a gas price much lower than the European one as a result. Russia cannot bargain her gas for other advantages with the USA.”
The USA actually imports a significant amounts of natural gas (oil and electricity) from Canada. But yes, the USA has maintained both current and future energy security by good bi-partisan domestic polices (until the Obama-Biden eras…) along with sensible foreign policies, especially with their prime suppliers!
The UK could be energy independent today, had domestic politics, along with a significant pro-EEC/EU shift, in the 1980 and 1990s not intervened.
January 26, 2022
Sky News is reporting that it will be for the PM who decides when and how much of the Gray report is made public, a bit like allowing John Profumo to have final oversight of the Denning report!…
Surely Sue Gray, being the second most senior civil servant in the UK can decide if anything within her report constitutes a security issue and thus decide what might need to be redacted in the published version?
January 26, 2022
…and now we have “kennelgate” brewing!
January 26, 2022
It will be published in full it seems.
January 26, 2022
An internal report for the PM by a civil servant about civil servants and no 10 is not the same as a statutory judge led inquiry. Nothing like the same. But the manipulative and lying media have sown the idea in the public mind that it is. The second is a formal public affair and the first is not. So it is for the PM to decide what he does with it.
January 26, 2022
@rose; Do stop bleating like a lost lamb, and I bet you would be shouting from the roof-tops had this been a Labour govt, Labour PM, up to their neck in scandal, stop being so shallow!
In any case the media can not lie if the full unredacted report were to be made available on one of the .gov.uk domains or at parliament.uk, with copyrights waver so it can also propagate via .sc.uk domains, even Wikipedia etc.
January 26, 2022
John Profumo wasn’t PM
January 29, 2022
He worked with the poor afterwards and redeemed himself.
January 26, 2022
Re USA .. always use up other people’s resource and bank your own.
January 27, 2022
And pay for them with worthless fiat!
January 26, 2022
That’s odd because when I looked on the Internet the first article was from Forbes which said that in 2019 and 2020 the EIA
( USA energy information adminstration) determined that for both years the USA was energy independent.
January 27, 2022
@P2; Yes the USA is notionally energy independent. But as Margaret says (just above), they choose to bank their own resources and import from others. Once again you fail to actually understand the stats you cite, not that you are alone… đź
For example, ask yourself, if the USA were energy independent, thus only drawing from their own oil wells, why was Phase 4 of the Keystone XL pipeline even considered, let alone designed and part built (and no it does not connect the contiguous USA with Alaska, nor is it intended to transship US exported oil into Canada.
January 27, 2022
So they are energy self sufficient but choose to import some and export other elements.
I think I understand it now.
January 26, 2022
Is this crazy government getting paid for the arms it is supplying to Ukraine? Having described Ukraine
as a ‘friend’, are we treating it as a de facto member of NATO, an organisation that has been used by the USA to occupy Germany since WWII and is continuing to push Eastward whilst claiming that Russia’s discomfiture is because that is stymying its intention to invade a country which was destabilised in 2014 by neocon meddling leading to a ‘colour revolution’.
We need to become energy independent from both Europe and the USA; energy independence means energy on tap not when the wind blows. We also need to have an independent foreign policy which does not consist of sucking up to neoconservative warmongers which last resulted in an ignominious retreat from Afghanistan.
January 26, 2022
This country cannot afford to carry on the road we are on regarding energy supply and pricing.
The C f D payment scheme is costing us the energy bill payers ÂŁ996.6m
Ofgem has produced energy pricing data showing forward energy contracts.
The energy suppliers on Renewable Obligation the forerunner to C f D have been paid ÂŁ68.56m
Both with detailed information have been produced on today’s Not Many People Know That website.
The government needs to revisit all these contracts and ensure that when we start using our own fossil fuels again they ensure that any deals do not get out of control as the previous contracts seem to have.
January 26, 2022
The short answer to your question is no.
I have repeatedly mentioned the lack of energy security and the government energy policy to my own MP. The North Sea still has Gas including Shale (and oil of course) but current policy towards renewables is leaving us dangerously exposed to geopolitical events.
The good news Sir John is that my MP asked for some links to your blog regarding energy policy, so you have a new reader from your own ranks !
Hopefully, as he has some energy remit, he will take note.
reply Yes, I am getting support on tax and energy but still need to get the govt to change its policy
January 26, 2022
It needs to change almost all its policies – compulsory vaccinations for NHS and Care Home workers for example. The massive red tape, green crap and fiscal attacks on the private rented sector which is doing huge harm to both tenants and landlords – many are quitting leading to shortages.
January 26, 2022
With the exception of only a slight unease about compulsory vaccination, I agree with you completely.
This Government is certainly not any kind of Conservative one that I could recognised. BUT every other political party represented in Parliament is signed up to an even more extreme Green Crap agenda. We have nowhere else to go.
Our only hope is a new leader who recognises the ruinous path we are being taken down. I’m not the least bit bothered about a few small events in Downing Street, but if it leads to a much more Conservative administration, we will have had a lucky escape. But is there anyone in the running that would put clear blue water between the party and the combined opposition ?
January 27, 2022
BUT every other political party represented in Parliament is signed up to an even more extreme Green Crap agenda. We have nowhere else to go.
…
Either Redwood takes control or politics is finished, not just the Con Party, but all of it. Globalist collectivism has destroyed them. Now they stand naked for all to see.
January 26, 2022
I have a memory that about fifteen years ago Germany and Russia agreed formally to ‘combine’ or ‘co-ordinate’ their foreign policy. This was incredible and Germany was a member of Nato, presumably agreed either by Gerhard Schroder or Merkel.
It will be gruesome to watch the Biden gang fundamentally weaken the Christian West in the next few weeks.
January 26, 2022
Yes, I remember that too – but finding details is difficult.
January 27, 2022
carefully redacted somewhere, avoiding search engines finding it?
January 27, 2022
What Christian West is this?
January 26, 2022
The cost of onshore wind production has risen by 30% over the last 20 years
In a hard-hitting report by the GWPF deputy director, Andrew Montford said:
âOnshore wind is 60% dearer than the figure in the Governmentâs plans for Net Zero, making it nonsense of claims that it is the cheapest form of electricity generation. We are locking high costs into the economyâ
When is the government going to bite the bullet and start smelling the coffee?
January 26, 2022
UK energy policy seems based on making us more and more import dependent for electricity , gas and coal on Europe.
….
because they are globalists, traitors, puppets of foreign powers who convince themselves of game theory narratives they tell us news articles they write that we nationalists are not allowed to debate.
January 26, 2022
UK energy policy seems based on making us more and more import dependent for electricity , gas and coal on Europe.
….
yes but John, it means France, China etc wont need to invade, as we have sold out to them all in advance! Genius?
January 26, 2022
We have an abundance of gas, oil and coal in the UK and we can import as much as we like, so why is the price increasingâŠâŠbecause governments keep proclaiming ânet zeroâ and ârenewablesâ
January 26, 2022
o why is the price increasingâŠâŠbecause governments keep proclaiming ânet zeroâ and ârenewablesâ
…
Stanley Johnson started all this nonsense
January 26, 2022
You should mock them as I do, being nice is not going to work
January 26, 2022
the National Security Council
…
remember, selling out in advance to foreign powers is good for our national security according to their traitorous globalist game theory narratives.
January 26, 2022
If for one moment people could accept that âEnergy is the economy.â That truth is being played out right now in Europe, where natural gas and electricity prices are skyrocketing, industries are shutting down factories, and energy poverty looms for millions of residents.
How far is the UK behind them and how did we ever get into the mess we find ourselves in?
Russia controls the gas valves and when they say jump the German and French governments will ask how high?
There is only one hope for this country and that is people that have got us into this mess, are going to have to hold up their hands admit they were wrong, then come up with a properly costed plan to get our hidden resources out, processed and driving our industries what is left of them and protecting the poorest in society.
January 26, 2022
JR: “the National Security council ” Is that another agency infultrated by Communists like SAGE?
Really, you MPs are lucky you are not paid by results, because if you were, you’d all be living below the poverty line. Deservedly so.
JR: “NATO wishes to deter Russia from invasion of Ukraine. ”
NATO is an anacronism, should have been disbanded in the ’90s and is now casting around for a raison d’etre. It’ll provoke an completely unnecessary war with Russia to provide it.
Russia doesn’t want the Ukrane. The Ukrane has been gutted by the Hunter and Joe crime syndicate. Consaquently, its a poor country ( althought it shouldn’t be ).
January 26, 2022
Hello Sir John, Please do not think I am being rude when I say you keep stating the obvious. Of course, every sensible person outside of Parliament knows we should develop our own energy resources. So why do our PM, Government & MPs, with a handful of honourable exceptions like yourself, not see what is basic common sense? What are you doing to make it happen, you have access to the PM & Ministers, we do not. How then do we make our voices heard? This government has betrayed pensioners over the triple lock at the time it is most needed, every employer & employee with the 1.5% N.I. tax rise, & every citizen of the UK with their net-zero fixation. When will we see some action to show that what people voted for will happen? Parties are a minor irritation compared to these things!
Reply Yes. I keep telling them and welcome support
January 26, 2022
reply to reply …on a lot of issues it shouldn’t need advice from the experience and intellect of Sir John, most of us would like to keep telling them too !
January 26, 2022
Renewables re not efficient but rather than nothing, it is always strategically advised to have an insurance policy/ Plan ABC etc. Never show vulnerability to those who seek to out power. Dismissing everything as useless is not the way to keep a stronghold. Divorce : Brexit may not have been but condoning a possible threat to EU gas power by not siding with the Ukraine we are not part of anymore.
January 26, 2022
Youâd have thought that sabre rattling would be the last thing on anyoneâs mind
…
most wars recently have been about protecting gas and oil pipelines, at least Russian Generals are open about it. The USA wanted to ship us our gas as an alternative.
January 26, 2022
Oh Lord, Boris Johnson still persists with the false argument that it is the EU’s implementation of the Irish protocol which is wrong, “insane”, when it is the protocol itself which is “insane”, because how can it be a rational solution to have EU checks and controls on all the goods coming into Northern Ireland, and on all the goods produced in Northern Ireland, when the potential problem which has been identified relates to just that trickle of goods leaving Northern Ireland across the land border into the Irish Republic, and why did he accept the insane dictum that “any checks or controls anywhere on the island would constitute a hard border”?
January 26, 2022
Have you noticed they are doing something about red diesel now, the mainstay of IRA smugglers across that border which doesn’t exist?
January 27, 2022
Thanks, I’ll have a look at that.
January 26, 2022
Good to have a comment from Dennis.. always sensible.
January 26, 2022
It might be a good idea if the NSC started defending our so called borders.
Or just disband.
January 26, 2022
With Johnson, Sunak, Truss, Patel, Wallace, Barclay and Braverman as NSC âfirstâ members, plus Kwarteng, what do you expect?
January 26, 2022
Energy bills already massively increasing. Just received letter from BG, they are offering a fix term dea to December 2023 more than twice my current gas + electric. Annual cost was ÂŁ1900 year just gone, BG now offering ÂŁ4000 pa
January 26, 2022
PS I live in a fairly new house with very thick insulation all round.
January 26, 2022
These Brexit price hikes are going to be fun, donât you think?
January 26, 2022
Why inflation in USA and Europe?
Do explain young andy.
January 26, 2022
And the pathetic advise from the energy minister is to switch to another supplierâŠ.what planet are these people on
January 26, 2022
I have to say, Sir John, that this looks a bit like desperation on your part. The PM is in charge of this policy and he clearly is not willing to adopt a policy of energy self-sufficiency. The minister, Kwarteng, has also completely rejected such an approach. So with both the departmental minister and the prime minister refusing to budge you are now pinning your hopes on the NSC. Don’t get me wrong: I agree entirely with your position. The UK needs to be self-sufficient in energy for both security reasons and also to reduce the cost to consumers and to industry – but it must surely be obvious that only a new prime minister will deliver this. As long as Carrie is in charge this is not going to happen!
Reply Ministers have announced in the Commons that more domestic gas is a good idea so I am trying to prod them to make it happen.
January 26, 2022
reply to reply – – good luck with that !
January 26, 2022
I sincerely wish you the very best of luck in your efforts, Sir John. 4000V electric cattle prods can be bought for under ÂŁ30 on Ebay. I suggest you get one! Don’t pretend you’re not tempted. I would pay good money to see you use one of those on a minister!
January 26, 2022
Thatcher â the ladyâs not for turning
Boris â the manâs not for resigning
Boris is becoming a national security risk
January 26, 2022
Becoming?
January 26, 2022
I don’t know why
A) Boris resigning means the end of Brexit
B) Boris resigning means a general election (as JRM claims) Are the Tories secretly afraid of having an 80 seat majority and keen to ditch it ?
January 26, 2022
Boris resigning would be the start of BrexitâŠ.heâs a closet remainer
January 26, 2022
Yes, Everhopeful. Now as the plague figures emerge and people wake up to the fact that they will never justify the action taken by our government, and many other governments.
For comparison.
Hong Kong Flu death toll – 30,000
Corona Virus – below 18,000
We have had to endure:
The lockdown of the healthy.
Vast sums of money printed and borrowed.
The current 6 million backlog of procedures etc.
The care home staff put out of work.
The NHS staff to be put out of work.
Damage to business.
The tax rises.
Inflation.
Our freedoms and rights trashed with draconian laws.
January 26, 2022
Hong Kong Flu death toll â 30,000
Corona Virus â below 18,000
We have had to endure:
The lockdown of the healthy.
Vast sums of money printed and borrowed.
The current 6 million backlog of procedures etc.
The care home staff put out of work.
The NHS staff to be put out of work.
Damage to business.
The tax rises.
Inflation.
Our freedoms and rights trashed with draconian laws.
…
it was all preplanned by globalists
January 26, 2022
My friend applied for a job with the following statement at the bottom of the job description ââThis post is part funded by European regional development fund with a logo EU European structural and investment fundsââ
Thought weâd left the EU
January 26, 2022
Sir John,
When will the National Security Council wake up to the illegal immigration that is taking place from across the Channel?
At the current rate we can expect 100,000 or more young men of fighting age without ID to arrive on our shores this year.
All to be housed in 4 star hotels with ÂŁ40/week pocket money and the freedom to roam our streets unhindered.
How many need to arrive and/or what event needs to take place before our National Security Council realises we are being invaded?
January 26, 2022
None came by dinghy before Brexit. If you donât like dinghy people, perhaps you should join the EU?
PS: it still isnât illegal to cross the Channel in a dinghy if you are claiming asylum. If you are claiming asylum you can arrive how you like.
January 26, 2022
Compete twaddle.
January 27, 2022
This dreary repetitive codswallop is tiresome, change the warped record.
January 26, 2022
It’s only the people of this country that seeâs illegal immigration as a threatâŠ.our government, it would appear, welcomes them
January 26, 2022
The last time I heard ‘Boris’ answer how he intended to tackle present shortages was to say his long term plan of more windmills was the answer.
Imagine, in the event of war or conflict now, with a cut-off of our excessive energy imports, how he could increase manufacturing and get more energy immediately ( even if we had sufficient factories in which to make things ). He would probably stand outside and call on the wind to blow. He probably believes he has the power.
Yesterday in HoC he gave the impression he was leading resistance plans to Putin but the talks were in Paris today.
He has ignored reality and been obsessed only with covid popularity screen time, and followed Carrie’s green orders for the last two or three years.
January 26, 2022
Every right-thinking UK citizen can see the security issue – so how is it that the NSC don’t, when they are paid to be the very people who see it before it happens, how can they not see it even after it has already happened?
The incompetence of those who supposedly “lead” us these days is quite staggering.
January 26, 2022
The incompetence of those who supposedly âleadâ us these days is quite staggering.
…
they only get away with it because cock up theory always prevails
January 26, 2022
You left the EU.
What it does is not your business.
The EU also doesnât care what you think.
January 27, 2022
It doesn’t care what the people of Ukraine think , either !
January 26, 2022
We need energy independence, as the EU is a) malign since Brexit and b) they obtain 40% gas from Russia, who is (slightly/much*) more malign…
Not difficult, permit mining/drilling/fracking as needed until RR SMR nuclear can replace.
There, sorted in a few sentences, now FGS get on with it please!
* delete as per your sensibilities… đ
January 26, 2022
This government was quick enough to vote climate change as an emergency âŠ.well I believe that our supply, security & cost of fossil fuel energy is a bigger emergency â and should be declared as such
January 27, 2022
This is a regional and international crises it is not solved by pure nationalistic solutions for the UK alone.
This is not the way forward.
January 27, 2022
Headline – “Chinaâs Xi Says Climate Targets Canât Compromise Energy Security”
Seems to me the only leaders who care for the well-being of their populations are the Communists.
No point ito leading with Net Zero if nobody else is following.
January 27, 2022
– so the EU remainer policy of restrict production and supply within the UK continues, even renewables unless we favor EU suppliers.
– it also engenders upward inflation by restricting production supply.
– similar policy on UK borders, ongoing effort to destabilise the UK.
We need to complete Brexit. We need WTO. Otherwise we get Boris the Brino and like remainers trying to bind us into the EU orbit and a re-entry program. So why should we worry about Ukraines border which is right next to Russia when Boris wont control the UK border?
You cannot ask or encourage people to fight and die when you won’t observe manifesto promises and democratic norms.
Renewable capacity & storage is a fraction of what it needs to be. Its much cheaper than gas presently.
January 27, 2022
ÂŁ100 million wasted today.
https://news.sky.com/story/nuclear-project-sizewell-c-wins-100m-government-cash-injection-12525963