Labour’s decision to abandon most of its planned £28 bn a year extra investment programme for net zero has served to highlight the costs of the policy. It should also lead Labour to ask how they could both afford and achieve their wish to accelerate the UK’s progress to net zero compared to very exacting existing government targets. Under Mr Sunak the government has been relaxing some of the requirements, recognising that for the policy to work it has to be undertaken at a pace that people will accept. Much of the investment needs to be made by individuals and by private companies, so it needs to be realistic. The faster the government wants to go the more subsidy and direct public spending it will need to bring it about.
Labour say they are still wedded to the idea of zero carbon electricity generation by 2030. How can this be? That would require the closure and write off of all our gas power stations and the remaining coal ones. If Drax is staying it would require a carbon capture and storage scheme to be up and running at great cost for that facility. It would require a massive expansion of the grid to handle more interruptible power and the planned expansion of electric heating and vehicles. It would need a major further investment in wind and solar power. It would require big battery installations to store power, and probably some new pump storage schemes as well. No-one seriously believes this can be done by 2030. Nor could be it be done for part of a planned £28bn a year let alone without £28 bn a year.
Two of the big areas where net zero requires different conduct by individuals are transport and heating. Labour’s faster progress would mean ripping out far more gas boilers far sooner, which most people show no wish to do. It would require a fast replacement of diesel and petrol vehicles with electric. It would require an end to many holidays abroad or a rapid roll out of synthetic fuels for all aeroplanes. It is time interviewers on main media asked these crucial questions of those who advocate faster moves to net zero. It is simply wrong to be told wind energy is cheaper than fossil fuel energy when the figures do not take into account the costs of back up power today from fossil fuel. Nor do they take into account the full costs of extra grid, the costs of battery and pump storage , the costs of smart meters and the costs of rolling out charger points and extra cable capacity into homes for a more comprehensive renewables system.
February 14, 2024
Why are we even aiming for net zero as a bit more CO2 plant food and even slightly warmer is a net good?
The things the government push – public transport, EV, Solar, Hydrogen, walking save little or no CO2 – they if anything just export it. EVs clearly increase CO2 compared to keeping your old ICU car yet we have taxpayer funded scrapage schemes! So as to increase CO2 one assumes.
To switch everyone to heat pump heating and to EVs will need vastly more electricity to be generated and a hugely increased grid capacity (A capacity mainly used only for a few months in winter redundant most of the year) and we have no spare low carbon electricity anyway. Even wind is not really that low in Carbon. Nuclear also need loads of fossil fuels to construct.
Sunak made but a tiny touch on the brakes the dope is still heading over the net zero cliff at vast expense with his duff compass, huge damage to the economy, the environment, living standards and zero benefit for the climate in 100 years either. A new mad deluded religion. If only the man had studied Physics or Engineering like the sensible Rowan Atkinson. Though not that sensible as he bought an EV before coming to his senses but then he is rich enough not to have though about the purchase to much.
EV are larger emissions but mainly elsewhere cars (other than the 30% increased tyre debris) this in manufacture or car and short lived battery and at the power stations.
February 14, 2024
Keeping an older ICU small car for longer is about half the cost per mile of a new EV and causes less CO2 not more, less road and tyre wear, has far better range, can tow, refill in two minutes, uses the waste heat for car heating rather than the battery, does not need home chargers or-parking at your house(s), is better environmentally, easier to recycle… Does not need a massive expensive investment in extra grid capacity either.
February 14, 2024
Labour should ask…. How about Treacherous May’s uncosted net stupid where even EU fanatic Hammond stated govt needs to be honest with electorate.
February 14, 2024
@Hope – Honesty! with the electorate, the big missing link between those that pay and empower and those seeking a quiet life and feeling good about self-gratification while achieving nothing. We need a few( many more than that) MPs with the caliber of Sir John in Parliament and at the helm
February 14, 2024
Well Hammond was hardly very honest as Chancellor.
It seems all the navy will have to go on climate alarmist indoctrination courses. Has the vast cost of this propaganda lunacy been included in the £ trillions of net zero costs. How are those two white elephant £billions of 2 sitting duck aircraft carriers doing – the ones without any suitable aircraft – has one actually managed to paddle or get towed out of the harbour yet? Perhaps we should put migrants on them?
So if you rent to migrants you get huge fines unless you do it through Capita or similar it seems. Then the government pays for it all reducing property supply for everyone else.
February 14, 2024
Agree – I fail to see any evidence of the peoples mandate for net-zero
February 14, 2024
They vote in net zero governments!
February 14, 2024
Not in the 2019 election ….that was a single issue ‘brexit’
February 14, 2024
But will there be the petrol stations? Will there be petrol on sale?
They’ve been building houses on patrol stations for years…so how long has all this actually been in mind?
I used to love my old bangers and it was so safe round here 80s early 90s that I never bothered to lock them. Petrol station just down the road now a gruesome and rotting, wooden-clad block of flats.
February 14, 2024
“Labour say they are still wedded to the idea of zero carbon electricity generation by 2030”. If this is a manifesto promise, we know how little credence to put in it!
Conservative and Labour are wedded to Net Zero. They would both like to push us off that particular cliff, if we don’t resist too much. It’s just that Labour say they would do it sooner if they could. You know, I’m pretty sure the Conservatives would do it sooner too, if there was the opportunity.
February 14, 2024
Yes, my thoughts too, where’s the fundamental policy difference between Red and Blue?
If Sir J is trying to say Labour’s policy is worse, by a few years, so vote for a failed PCP, then he’s got to think again. Tories needs a BIG policy difference with Labour to make the needle move, Net Zero cancellation would be that difference.
Time to go Big, Sir J, or go home..
February 14, 2024
If the Tories suddenly rowed back on net zero they would lose a lot of votes. You’ll still vote for them as they are (net zero nutters) because you think Labour would be worse. It’s a calculated risk. People like you will probably vote for them regardless – it’s the others they need to attract – and most people have fallen for the net zero madness.
February 14, 2024
@Wanderer – all virtue signals/ lies to engage with those that don’t have to fund it. If there is such a need I would prefer a Government that created the wealth and prosperity to fund the changes we may need to adapt too rather than just banning and punishing. We mustn’t loose sight that 95% of the Worlds Population isn’t engaged in NetZero they are all looking after their own, something that lost on most of our Politicos
February 14, 2024
Correct – not one single net-zero policy has been removed ….a bit like the EU laws, they promise and they promise
February 14, 2024
Correct and there is no benefit at all from net zero just costs and inconvenience.
February 14, 2024
Listening to energy secretaries, politician, the BBC and journalist talking about climate change and energy I am reminded of Gell Mann’s amnesia.
You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In my case physics, energy and engineering. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect – “wet streets cause rain” stories or confusing power with energy. Then you turn the page to national or international affairs, and read on as if the rest of the newspaper or minister was somehow sound on all other issues.
I remember Lady Nugee (Emily Thornberry assuring) us that we could use wave power when the wind did not blow. Showing a farcical level of ignorance about what causes waves – let alone the vast cost and practicalities of collecting wave energy.
February 14, 2024
… only too true …
February 14, 2024
Emily Thornberry was a shadow minister for climate change at the time I think too.
Kwasi an ex energy minister (who is fairly bright) but clearly knows nothing about physics, energy, engineering… used to talk complete drivel about the Saudi Arabia of Wind, Hydrogen, Carbon Capture, heat pumps… too.
February 14, 2024
JR needs to drag his own party over the coals before Labour. The rotten non Conservative Party is in govt.! We only have two sides of socialism with the Uni party.
February 14, 2024
Open door immigration, climate alarmist lunacy, open door migration on a vast scale, huge and increasing public debt, no real economic growth per cap, a dire NHS, vast number of excess deaths and socialism from Labour and the fake Conservatives.
They now want the pension age to rise to 69 it seems, yet another gov. tax grab in effect. Perhaps they have not noticed but life expectancy has actually declined rather significantly over the last three years due to net harm Covid Vaccines, poor NHS healthcare & delays and Covid. Some parts of the UK 69 is nearly life expectancy. About 70 for men in Glasgow and Blackpool.
February 14, 2024
I think they are all playing a huge inter-party game.
A Party Game!
It’s called “Let’s Pretend”
And “I Bet I Can Be Sillier Than You”.
A party bag of best Beluga for everyone at home time.
February 14, 2024
John may choose to focus his attentions on the fiscal impact of the sinister NZ agenda but I view it as a thinly concealed, malicious and fascist attack on our rapidly diminishing civil freedoms. In effect the agenda is political not environmental. Those who argue otherwise are pure bred liars and filthy charlatans
February 14, 2024
As I said yesterday. Net Zero is a ploy to bankrupt the west to the advantage of the BRIC countries.
They will be burning Fossil fuels for the next 109 years laughing all the way to the bank
February 14, 2024
Dom +++
Ian +++
I believe that some Labour PM or other “amended” the treason laws.
No govt. can now face such charges!
February 14, 2024
@DOM & @Ian wragg – A Parliament engaged in the Great UK give away, our wealth, our freedoms, our democracy, our wealth, our safety and security. All the very things they were elected to protect.
This Conservative Government maybe at the root of this rot, but Parliament is paid to challenge them and they refuse
February 14, 2024
Your second sentence is nonsense.Net Zero is a ploy by those who wish to foist green technologies on the world-and provide the finance/indebtedness to implement them(as if you hadn’t already been reduced to debt-slavery).
BRICS stand against that.Biden’s Build Back Better/Clean Green Initiative/Inflation Reduction Act is meant to be a means of combating the Belt and Road Initiative.It will fail.
Your final sentence will most likely prove to be true.There is a good article on Oilprice.com(which frequently carries well-sourced,insightful pieces)which looks at what Russia and Iran are up to in the Middle East:”Russia and Iran Finalize 20 Year Deal that will change the Middle East Forever”,22/1/24.There is also an upcoming summit between Presidents Putin and Erdogan which will focus on energy.
February 14, 2024
”our rapidly diminishing civil freedoms”
All for net-zero – pay-per-mile driving is in fact a spy in your car, smart-meters, 15 minute cities, tax on roads, tax on anything & everything with fossil fuel, climate laws passed without debate nor consent of the people ….be aware of whats coming
February 14, 2024
So Sunak orders an RAF jet to fly him back from his Darlington GB News performance – probably using about 50+ times the fuel that a car or train and costing about 200 times more, not even quicker either with end journeys to airports. So does Sunak really think CO2 is a devil gas that is going to destroy the world for humans?
February 14, 2024
LIfelogic
“so does……………destroy the World for Humans.”
No he just thinks he is special, and his time is more important than most others, plus he is not paying, the taxpayer is, twice, both for his journey and for the more expensive fares for themselves when they travel.
Do as I say, not as I do !
February 14, 2024
+++
Or…
“What you do thunders above your head so loudly, I cannot hear the words you speak.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
February 14, 2024
Well if they want better productivity and more tax revenue then almost everyone’s time is important. Then again many in the state sector do net harm so perhaps better if they are inefficient or do nothing or better still are fired. Things like road blocking, duff degrees, shipping migrants over to hotels and net zero. Lots of lives and money would also have been saved had they given out far, far fewer net harm Covid Vaccines by being less “efficient” certainly this for the circa 70% of people who did not even need them anyway – the young and those who had had Covid already.
Still jabbing and still claiming they are safe and effective despite all the very clear cut data.
February 14, 2024
net-zero is only for the plebs ….not the elites
February 14, 2024
The true cost. Is the loss of UK Severity and its ability to govern its self. The French Government owns all the UK’s Nuclear facilities, and gets paid over the market place price for all its output. While ensure French Industry in France is maintained with cheaper electricity.
The UK Government signed a contract with the French in 2016 for the construction of a power station at Hinkley Point for £18 billion, in recent weeks this Conservative Government gave in to their demands for this to be now increased to £46 billion. Then Bruno Le Maire, France’s finance minister, said on Tuesday he would be asking Jeremy Hunt for more. The Worlds cash cow the UK taxpayer
This Conservative Governments idea of energy security and safety is to have the UK held hostage to the political whims of Foreign Governments.
It doesn’t stop there one of the Worlds Largest offshore wind sites in UK waters is owned by the Danish Government they wanted more money, more UK Taxpayer money and the got it. All at the same time as this Conservative Government has guaranteed that the Danish Government would receive payments higher than the market rate for any electricity provided.
February 14, 2024
Then there is more. fossil fuels oil and gas, has seen recent licenses awarded to the Norwegian Government to extract from UK territory using their own Norwegian taxpaying staff etc. Nothing coming back or being contributed to the UK. All production being sold on the international market for the benefit of the Norwegian Government, if the UK wants any of the output it has to buy it in from the market place.
I haven’t got a downer on Foreign Governments; my criticism is with the Conservative Government forcing the UK at home to be held hostage to the political whims of those none of has control over. It is always at the expense of holding UK contributors back. UK owned Industry is part of the UK money go round of tax and employment. Foreign Governments is about extracting UK taxpayer money to support their home markets.
This Conservative Government is incapable of thinking things through – they don’t know how to measure the true cost of their proclamations
February 14, 2024
Sir John …. there is no significant difference between the lunatic Net Zero policies being pushed by Labour and the lunatic Net Zero policies being pushed by the Not-a-Conservative-Party. Right.
We’re not fooled by Sunak’s PR stunt …. moving in lockstep to change the ban on buying a new ICE car from 2030 to 2035 ….. whilst still legislating to punish new car dealerships with fines if they don’t meet the imposed target for the proportion of EVs they sell. Right.
The policies come from the UN, WEF and EU. The Puppet in the Blue Rosette and the Puppet in the Red Rosette will be tasked with implementing the same Orders. Right.
Sunak: “Vote for the Not-a-Conservative-Party. We’re marginally less mad than Labour. Right.”
February 14, 2024
@Donna +1 100% agree
February 14, 2024
Indeed it seems that is Sunak’s only selling point – We too are deluded green crap pushing, economically incompetent, Con-Socialists but not quite as appalling as Starmer’s Labour Socialists.
February 14, 2024
Donna,
+many.
JRs remainer party now forcing EU alignment by stealth still not accepting the mandate for Brexit.
Starmer accepting this is the way forward pretending Brexit is being delivered! EU lock step by the Uni party while giving away N.Ireland to the EU
February 14, 2024
Right on Donna.×××
February 14, 2024
Exactly! By coincidence yesterday we received newsletter from the Conservative candidate for the next GE. This continued to push the virtues of NZ, albeit with delays with the claim “its good for jobs, good for businesses and good for our children and grandchildren”. He will not be getting my vote. As a precautionary measure I have already replaced my ageing gas boiler with a new one. I do not trust the political class, whoever is in power, not to make abrupt policy U turns leaving me faced with huge costs.
February 14, 2024
Donna :
I agree completely.
February 14, 2024
The Official Monster Raving Loony Party promotes some crazy policies, but theirs are mainly jocular and harmless. In contrast Net Zero is nasty. Right.
February 14, 2024
Bloke
Some have actually come true !
24 Hour Drinking now possible.
Passports for dogs when they travel abroad.
Sure there are many others if we look back further.
What’s Looney then is not so Looney now, be careful what you wish for or what Politicians will undertake, all in the name of Control. !
February 14, 2024
Berkshire Alan:
The OMRLP has an efficient verification system for members too. Their Identity Cards have a mirror integrated. All you need to do is look into the mirror on your card, and if it shows a reflection of your face you recognise, your ID is valid!
Another policy was luminous food for dog safety. It helps people see dog mess glowing in the dark to prevent them stepping on it to stamp it out.
February 14, 2024
If there isn’t a Reform candidate I’d recommend voting for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party …..never never a tory or labour
February 14, 2024
Prepare for energy rationing.
I have installed a back up generator.
February 14, 2024
Very wise… Trouble ahead if we close all our legacy power stations. We could be facing another European war if the US walks away from Ukraine, and the cost of that will make us very poor.
February 14, 2024
We have a European war already, Peter, because the US under Biden was so determined to meddle in Ukraine. If it ‘walks away’, as it will, and as it did in Afghanistan, the war will end. Whether or not Trump becomes president. Read the latest Rand Corporation position paper, and you’ll see how the US power elite is shifting to the new reality. How to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia while leaving Ukraine, or some of it, as a buffer to future designs by the Kremlln will be the key priority. Once Biden and his Ukraine-obsessed clique are out of the way, the US can continue to prioritise Far Eastern and Middle Eastern challenges, including support for Taiwan and Israel.
February 14, 2024
There is no point to an agreement that cannot be enforced. How would Ukraine secure their position against Putin? Even if NATO acted as guarantor, without the US there is no substance. Putin wants all of Ukraine, and to restore the Soviet Union. How much are you prepared to give away?
February 15, 2024
You and Mr Putin seem to be on very good terms, Peter, for you to have this insight into his thinking which apparently even top US strategists lack. Let me suggest (again) that you try to keep up with Washington’s thinking, which is often revealed by the neocon-friendly Rand Corporation think tank. Last month, it accepted that ‘it’s possible that neither Ukraine nor Russia will win this war outright. When it comes, peace might instead take the form of a cease-fire or an armistice, with both sides seething but exhausted’. In their view, ‘NATO doesn’t need Ukraine as a member to deter Russia… nor does Ukraine need to become a NATO member to enjoy material support for its defense’. In other words, some form of armistice agreement recognising the reality on the ground, then Ukraine surviving as a buffer zone armed and protected by the West. Personally, I don’t think NATO will get a better deal than that – what matters is that these influential US strategists don’t think so either.
February 14, 2024
Perhaps walking away from Ukraine is the only way to AVOID another European war by forcing Ukraine to negotiate a peace which our PM of the day refused to countenance.
February 14, 2024
Obviously there in no way to pay for both net zero and a war, and attempting net zero while insisting that the armed forces should decarbonise would be a very fast way of losing it. Perhaps the idea of war is a convenient smokescreen for backtracking on net zero. Perhaps the idea is to offer the choice between war and net zero.
February 14, 2024
BOF That’s actually a very good idea, setting up an energy backup generator. They do that in SA because there, they have power sharing ie. 2 hours a day, no electricity.
The industrialisation of the west continues apace.
February 14, 2024
Sharon
I am South African by birth and still have many family members and friends there. It is regularly a lot more than 2 hours a day. They still have coal fired power stations and the reason for their power outages is fraud, lack of maintenance and incompetance.
Did you mean the DE industrialisation of the West?
February 14, 2024
BOF :
It will work for a time but then they will ban home generators and the fuel.
February 14, 2024
Looking at our energy bill, (we are unfortunately on a “smart meter”) – we have this:
“Rota Disconnections Alpha Identifier:” so we can be remotely disconnected for both electricity & gas 🙁
February 14, 2024
K D
Hence the reason I have refused one to date.
No doubt they will become mandatory, and forced upon us in due course, latest excuse your existing meter is past its deemed useful life date, so changed my supplier.
February 14, 2024
It seems the water meter idea is to be rolled everywhere. And if you refuse, you will be punished. Your normal costs will increase 75%. according to a letter we received recently!
February 14, 2024
I gather in Australua they are selling air conditioner/heat pumps at a discount. The feature is they can be remote controlled any time the grid is in difficulties, which will usually coincide with need to use it. On the 13th there were major blackouts in Victoria due to a storm that caused many wind farms to shut down before the winds knocked down a key transmission line from the Loy Yang coal fired power station, forcing it to shut as there was no way to deliver power. In turn, that caused many of the remaining wind and solar farms to trip offline. Hydro and gas restored some of the power, but the emphasis on renewables seems to come at the expense if a reliable grid.
February 14, 2024
Did you purchase that generator by licensed & authorised by the 15 minute cities commissionaire and the fossil fuel using your ration book with permit to use stamped by the local mayor ….with all related fees & taxes paid
February 14, 2024
Bringing the Net Zero date forward from 2050 to 2030 means that the costs and disruption have been made manifest. People are now realising just what it will mean to the economy and their way of life .
February 14, 2024
Just dump this net zero crap, why does the gullible/lied to public of this once great country have to be the saviours of the planet , so we with our taxed to death system of anything climate associated to be conned into paying for the rest of the globe’s climate issues, do people really believe the sacrifices we have made to fund this myth that the hole produced stays over Great Britain get real people and put a stop to this thieving of our money before it’s finally to late End of rant
February 14, 2024
YES
February 14, 2024
Net zero is a quasi-religious movement or cult. Did people in the Middle Ages begrudge the cost of cathedrals? I don’t think so. They were saving their souls in the afterlife. Yes, they did eventually rise up against the costs imposed the Roman Catholic church, especially paying for “indulgences”, if I remember my history right. But it took a very very long time for that to happen. It’s the same now. Net zero imposes huge costs, but believers reckon it’s for the greater glory of saving the planet. Arguing rationally with them, as SJR so valiantly does, looks to me like a waste of time. They have to be exposed as frauds, as medieval priests were, peddling salvation in return for people’s money.
February 14, 2024
Sir John
Quite reasonably and to be expected you are criticising Labours plans in the run up to this election. The however, of course is this Conservative Governments actual proven record. Their ‘cost of NetZero’ is in a magnitude of the scale of any form of sanity. Offshoring UK Industry at the cost of jobs and growth only to enforce the import of its replacement from the World’s Greatest polluters –exact opposite to all the virtue signaling sound bites of looking after the planet.
This Conservative Government is out to just punish and punish some more with its punitive taxes, borrowing and levies. Far in excess of any off our Competitive Nations on the World Stage. That’s the important bit – the World.
Then add in how much this Conservative Government has forced the UK, the UK Taxpayer to be held hostage to the political whims of foreign governments supplying our basic even home-grown needs. Energy of course the big one.
Your assertion about Labour is in reality the same proven assertions that can be placed on this Conservative Government – they are not thinking their actions through. It is hard to see that they are thinking of anything other than personal self-gratification and ego.
So Labour is lying to get elected, isn’t that straight out of the Tory playbook for the last 14 years?
February 14, 2024
While being publicly asked questions regarding the costs, let these climate doom zealots also be questioned very closely about the various people pushing this ‘settled science’ of climate disaster.
Let’s hear about their connections to global institutions and what’s in it for them financially.
I would also like to know how much of their evidence is based purely on computer models.
How accurate and balanced is the data entered into the computer to come up with some of the predictions.
February 14, 2024
If it is settled, then it isn’t Science
February 14, 2024
Lotsa money to be had from smart meters apparently. Those smart little helpers which just keep on giving ……… to the owners of those little boxes installed on our walls at which point they act like cash machines for the owners. They seem to now come under the ‘must have’ label. ” With contracts running for between 15 & 20 years it offers a near bulletproof income stream” Apparently there are entities out there just champing at the bit to get their hands on ownership.
Daily T article 18/01/24 – ” The Net Zero device at the heart of a £1.3bn. Wall Street battle”
February 14, 2024
Off topic.
The NHS has, to all intents and purposes, collapsed when it comes to treating British citizens in an efficient and timely manner.
Yet Lord Dave of Greenshill Lobbying thinks it is appropriate to import children from Gaza to be treated by the NHS, including at Great Ormond Street Hospital which is forever fundraising and pleading poverty.
I trust he will be funding this treatment – both personally and via the Foreign Office Overseas Aid Budget. Because, for the life of me, I can’t see why British taxpayers (who CAN’T get treatment from the NHS they pay for) should fund it.
It’s a NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ….. not an international one.
February 14, 2024
I had a fund raiser asking for £300 million for Breat Ormand Street. Perhaps Lord,Greensil could consider the aid sent by UK could have helped them for health instead of building tunnels!! The Palistianians would have known the vast tunnel network being built!
February 14, 2024
Donna :
Was Lord Dave of Greenshill made a Lord so he could be the Foreign Secretary or was he made Foreign Secretary so he could be made a Lord?
His appointment was beyond belief.
February 14, 2024
@Donna – yup, I have now been 2 years on the waiting list for an urgent operation to allow me to just be able to ‘walk’ . More Conservative Government punishment and refusal to manage
February 14, 2024
People like Mr. Cameron just like to virtue signal on the world stage – “look how caring I am”.
Why is this unelected individual interfering in government anyway.
February 14, 2024
MWB
Cameron was put in the HoL and made FS by another unelected indevidual!
February 14, 2024
Yes I am aware of that !!!!
I do not recognise the ‘rights’ of a so called lord.
February 14, 2024
Like Blair – working towards Sainthood!
February 14, 2024
What are the odds that these ‘children’ will be young men of military age who will be allowed to claim’asylum’?
February 14, 2024
Let Médicins sans Frontières trawl for charitable donations instead. Likely to be far more effective.
February 14, 2024
Sir John , Labour aren’t even in government yet. Its sounds like you’ve accepted the inevitable that they will be. If they do get in their job is made harder by the poor public finances the Conservatives have presided over the last thirteen years.
This it what happens when you give our taxes away.
February 14, 2024
Net zero is a scam designed to control and impoverish the majority for the benefit of a globalist cabal, aided and abetted by their useful idiots in government and House of Commons.
February 14, 2024
The net zero targets the Conservatives are relaxing are the targets the Conservatives themselves set only a few years ago. That shows their utter incompetence and they should get no credit for it – the targets shouldn’t have been set in the first place.
February 14, 2024
It would require an end to many holidays abroad or a rapid roll out of synthetic fuels for all aeroplanes.
I expect that asylum seekers and other immigrants would be exempt from this requirement as they head back for long stays in their dangerous previous lives. Just compliant whitey to be hit with this one.
February 14, 2024
Notwithstanding the fact that net zero electricity is a mad pipe dream, why would it need more ‘grid’? The same amount of electricity would be produced but by different means. Clearly it would need more connections to the grid but the grid itself – the network of pylons and cables would not need to cope with more power going down them.
The grid only needs to be (massively) increased if we increase the amount of electricity we produce because we are forced to heat our homes using electricity (instead of gas) and are forced to drive EVs (that are useless).
February 14, 2024
My understanding is that the ‘grid’ was designed primarily for local power distibution and therefore has limits. A bit like the national road network (of A and B roads) before the motorways. In particular there is a bottelneck in the connection between North and South (ie where the renewable energy is produced and where it is required). Not much point in massive wind farms in the North Sea if you cannot transfer the energy produced to where it is needed (or indeed if you have no means to store it).
Of course if the electricity required increases significantly, then the local ‘grid’ would have issues too, even at street level. The assumption was that the ‘normal’ house would not exceed 60A but that did not factor in heat pumps or EVs. If everyone migrates to those, there will be a lot of roads that digging up to upgrade the mains
February 14, 2024
It was invented on a pillow in 10 Downing Street, and there it should have stayed like most fantasies created on pillows.
If we want more electricity then it should be atomic and preferably SMRs spread around the country as required. Windmills are subject to the vaguries of wind and are therefore intermittent and unreliable. They require subsidy via everyones electricity bill. Then of course there is the massive cost of upgrading the grid. Guess who pays for that.
All electric transport is verging on pornographic pillow talk. It involves extracting rare earths in some parts of the world using child slave labour. Being stategically subject to a largely chinese monopoly supply under which we could end up with cuban style personal transport. Not everyone has a drive so recharging cables strewn across our pavements for those at ground level, and a lacking in uniformity system of charging points of varied speed effectiveness. Not to mention vehicle cost, depreciation rate and insurance. Then to cap it off where do you think insatiable government is going to get all its lost vehicle tax.
We insanely ignore the fuel sourses beneath our feet, which with an intelligent business plan of cost of extraction plus modest profit, could fuel the industrial and individual recovery of all in the UK.
Nett Zero has decimated essential strategic industrial production and plans to go further. Nor is it doing anything positive for food production UK or europe wide. It is pillow talk that results in divorce and many know how expensive that can be. Can you appreciate the irony that low wind days not only deprive us of green power that requires subsidy from fossil sources, but a constant stream of illegal immigrants that government chooses to subsidise at the cost of the needy throughout the UK. Subsidy equals tax most of you pay. If this is what an Oxbridge PPE gives us, stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.
February 14, 2024
It’s funny how sometimes in life something happens which just gets accepted. It is never actually questioned.
Why is it that nobody ever gets to interview Ed Miliband and asks him HOW? Never mind WHY? – the apparent ‘need’ for net zero seems to have been put beyond question – but nobody asks him …
How will the grid cope with the extra demand of EVs and electric home heating?
How will intermittent energy be stored?
How much will this cost?
Where is the money coming from?
What’s the plan?
Instead he is allowed to waffle and criticise the government for ‘not doing enough! Enough what? What’s the plan, Ed?
February 14, 2024
On 9 June 2008, following the Second Reading of the Climate Change Bill, only five members of the House of Commons voted against. The five were Christopher Chope, Philip Davies, Peter Lilley, Andrew Tyrie, and Ann Widdecombe
February 15, 2024
Yes, Glen, and the Conservatives actually wanted the Committee on Climate Change to have a more powerful role, setting ’emissions targets’ not merely advising government.
February 14, 2024
Good morning.
The destination is the same, just the timescale. Hardly a difference worth mentioning let a lone crow about.
Nut Zero needs scrapping. And the Little Usurper only pulled back because the EU did, under pressure from Germany and its motor manufacturers.
Here is a thought. Why don’t all you MP’s and Lords and Ladies go Nut Zero first ? Then we can see if it works or not.
Reply I did not vote for the Act and constantly point out the need for green products and services which are good. I have no plans to buy a current heat pump or EV as they do not meet my tests of affordability and specification.
February 14, 2024
Dear Mr, Redwood,
You did not vote for the Act and you have no plans to buy a heat pump or an EV. That much we believe. The problem is the Conservative party; the party that you belong to that has forced all this upon us. The public can see that a delay of five years on EV’s will make not the slightest difference to global CO2 levels, especially when you sneakily intend to fine manufacturers for every extra petrol/diesel car they sell. Your party treats us like children.
Many people on this blog have already said that it is not a vote winner for you that the Conservatives are a bit less green and not quite as stupid as the other lot. It certainly is not in my opinion.
Reply The govt has now agreed to use more of our own oil and gas.
February 14, 2024
Reply ….they’ve agreed to the current application of north-sea exploration and cancelled all fracking
February 14, 2024
reply to reply – – any estimates as to how much of a difference this latest promise might make? And why hasn’t it been agreed before?
February 14, 2024
Reply to reply: So what are you collectively doing to rid yourself of Sunak and Hunt who are intent on destroying our economy, way of life, culture, nation state promoting alien cultures through their mass immigration policy?
Lord Nutty Greensil and Plebgate still wanting to feed the world at our expense, provide free health to the world at our expense and bomb for new wars! Lord Greensil might consider his war on Lybia for regime change directly caused loss of life, destitution, poverty and mass immigration. He might want to consider Gaddiffi warned against his removal because it would cause uncontrolled immigration from Africa. How are Lord Greensil’s asylum camps in Syria coming along? Does he want foreign aid increased as well? He and Plebgate give away over £3 billion of our taxes to Africa not knowing what the money will be spent on!! Not conditional on UK interests or business- his China should be providing it! He did the same for the EU when last in office, the EU spending our taxes on exotic fish mating programmes and the like! The idiots want even more of our taxes to waste!
I got a better idea let us vote the idiots out of office for good. Let us hope the Tory party get a good obliteration today at two bi elections.
February 14, 2024
@Mark B +1 more of a rephrase than a change. Needed to virtue signal to those that pointed out the glaring errors in the Conservative Governments direction that he is listening, there is not a thing on his agenda that will help the UK to move forwarded. Very much in tune with the Socialist Group think if you don’t know how to improve just drag everything down
February 14, 2024
Reply to Reply – Not voting for it is not the same as voting against it. Most of us have no plans to buy a heat pump or EV but the choice is being taken away from us. Only the rich will have a comfortable life in the future plus MPs who can claim for these products via their expenses paid for by the taxpayer.
February 14, 2024
John, Only a complete abandonment of NET ZERO and all legislation of so-called GreenHouse Gases will suite the electorate. We need to have policies that support energy and food security, industry and manufacturing from a domestic market. Ths needs to have full regulatory, legal, tax and subsidies to fossil fuels mining, refining, distribution and usage along with nuclear electricity generation; we need full support for ICE cars and ensuring security of diesel and petrol rather than relying every more on foreign refineries. We need to mine and have secure imports of raw mineral and metal ores and their processing and refining here; we need steel, copper and zinc production here and ship building. Yes we need subsidies and we need trade tariffs, once these capabilities are in place. We need a government that wants food grown on our land rather than solar panels, rewilding and wind-farms or housing developments. We need an industrial economy powered by cheap coal, oil and gas. We need cheap and reliable electricity with the least environmental impact and that means fossil fuels and nuclear with less infrastructure as well as less land, water and air pollution. Enough with all the carefully erected systems of manipulation of truth and control of narrative around climate, energy, agriculture etc. There is too much money to be made in this corrupt green revolution now and too much censorship and control to allow the truth out and policies and developments to take the right direction (which is the opposite to government policy and regulation). However you cannot defy the laws of physics, economics and engineering principles for too long before costs, inefficiencies and problems are felt by businesses and the public. It is now time for politicians to nail their colours to the mast and come out for the British people and to hell with all the multinational interests of billionaires, the EU, the UN and WEF. It’s time to have people in parliament fighting for the British people, on this issue as well as other such as firm borders with strict Visa controls and strict and rapid deportation of illegals policies.
Thanks.
David Bunney
February 14, 2024
Can we start by using traditional meaning of English words.
There is no £28 billion ‘investment’ in green ideology proposed by Labour. There was only the destruction of £28 billion worth of tax payers money on projects with no actual value.
It is self evident. If any project green or otherwise, is self sustaining and profitable/generative, there is no need for state funds at any point in the evolution/deployment of the technology.
Green energy is simply a con.
February 14, 2024
As Trump advocated stopped funding Paris agreement as it is a transfer of jobs, business and manufacturing to the east!! Trump stopped finding WHO controlled by China who only pay a small amount in, Trump built a wall to stop mass immigration, Trump was self sufficient in energy and against net stupid, Trump stopped foreign wars for regime change. Against Putin’s threats He bombed Syria be cause they crossed a red line after use of chemical weapons- Obama threatened and did nothing!
Compare to Tory idiotic PM who follow group think against our national interests!
February 15, 2024
Trump’s bombing in Syria was,by pre-arrangement-an empty building.
February 14, 2024
Rod Evans +1
All Government Investments signal the intention to steel from the Taxpayer to just give their hard earned money away, preferable to Foreign Government, then Foreign Companies. Government especially this Conservative Government investments do not have a return, services, products or otherwise in mind and certainly don’t as would be expected from an investment produce something that is re-investable. So Investment coming from a Politicians mouth is we want to give your hard earned money away
February 14, 2024
Afraid no sign of any common-sense from any Major Political Party yet.
Tell me John, do they breathe in different air to the rest of us once they get into Parliament, because so many policies make absolutely no sense at all, and just makes life more difficult, expensive and complicated for everyone else out here. Even trying to plan your own (what should be) simple family finances going forward in any sensible way, is now virtually impossible !
You need to change your Car, you need to drive a bit further and allow a bit more time for journeys because we have blocked some of the roads, reduced the speed limit, introduced pay as you go areas, and increased parking charges, so you will pay more or be fined.
You need to change your heating system and disrupt the whole house, because the new one requires larger pipework and bigger radiators, but sadly will be more expensive to run than the old system, and then we may limit the power with a smart meter, clever or what !
Last one:
We are short of housing, so we will import another 750,000 people a year to add to the waiting list, some will even be put up in a hotel at the taxpayers expense, fed, watered, given health care and spending money, and other state benefits, and will take priority over those who have been on a Council waiting list for years.
February 14, 2024
I do feel we should use the house of parliament and the House of Lords as a test bed for these ideas.
MPs want to have net zero electricity and no gas? Fine. Heat the Palace of Westminster on green electricity, but with the same budget as 2023. When the money runs out, you get cold, and can’t use IT and appliances any more. If you remain under budget, it demonstrates it’s a good idea.
You have 650 people available as a test group for all the new ideas. Why not use them? All MPs have to purchase and use electric vehicles from their own money m, and will be unable to purchase ICE vehicles post 2030. Experience the joy of on-street charging and recharging during long journeys, then tell the public the idea is viable.
You want a 28bn levy for greenwashing? Sure. The year before, MPs have to pay that additional tax rate, so they can experience what it will be like, and have some skin in the game for its outcome. I’m sure HMRC can accommodate one more windfall tax for a specific group of people.
It does seem that MPs are making decisions isolated from the real world. This would show MPs are experiencing the outcome of their decisions prior to the elected public, and demonstrating the benefits.
February 15, 2024
Aaron
A good idea that will never come to fruition.
Do what I say not what I do is the mantra.
At least JR has been honest with his reasons in past posts, he will not be purchasong a heat pump or an electric car.
So we have at least one MP who is not promoting what he will not do himself.
February 14, 2024
There is another cost…
A huge one.
How does a govt. quantify the loss of morale among its indigenous population?
And said govt. wants effective, loyal conscripts and war.
It must think it lives in a Disney cartoon.
February 14, 2024
Socialism leads the way into chaos and ruination.
While the PM may have seen a shadow of the light, netzero is now so fully engrained in the minds of those that make the important decisions, that it will make little difference to the suffering caused.
We all know that climate change is nothing but a myth, so why do we pay lip service to it – It has become so mixed up with keeping the environment better that people think rescuing mistreated donkeys will save the planet!
February 14, 2024
As I say here regularly; The UK reducing it’s tiny CO2 emissions (less than 1% of the global total) will make not a jot of difference.
I will post this info every time this subject is aired on here (if Sir JR allows it) In the hope that Sir JR may note it and distribute it among the 650 brainwashed MP’s that occasionally sit in the House of Commons.
February 14, 2024
What alarms voters is why such crazy policies were allowed to develop in the first place, being only slightly reversed so long after their nuisance was created. Government and opposition should aim at right first time, not claim that inadequate adjustment later is some kind of progress toward achievement.
February 14, 2024
Net Zero is a scam, a fraud and absolute nonsense voted for by ignorant MPs who are too lazy to do some basic research. Why does the PM not form a red team and a green team, with one in favour and one against, and tell them to research the subject thoroughly and come back to him and either prove or disprove Net Zero?
Personally, I would give them a week maximum because it is so simple to prove it is nonsense!
Then he needs to hold the “impartial” BBC to account and demand they allow scientists who know Net Zero is nonsense and CO2 is not going to harm us, to be on every time the BBC tries to say Global Warming/ Climate Change is happening. It will never happen but we can dream!
February 14, 2024
I fully endorse your comments Sir John. Labour’s energy policy is totally delusional as it’s unachievable. How can they be so blind to the laws of physics and the absence of necessary affordable technology that will be supported by working people and their families? They are living in cloud cuckoo land. Regrettably, 14 years of failed energy policies by an assortment of conservative administrations has only exacerbated the situation. The failure to invest in nuclear especially RR SMR’s, the refusal to start fracking, the failure to store gas at scale and support UK gas, oil and coal is indefensible. Betting on wind and solar has been an expensive losing strategy, losing for the tax payer and energy bill payer, but good for those investing in renewables! It’s such a scam.
February 14, 2024
The de-industrialisation of Europe in five charts
https://robertbryce.substack.com/p/the-deindustrialization-of-europe
“The headline on a February 9 Bloomberg article concisely sums up Europe’s unfolding disaster: “Germany’s days as an industrial superpower are coming to an end……..”Europe drove itself into the ditch. Bad policy decisions, including net-zero delusions, the headlong rush to alt-energy, aggressive decarbonization mandates, and the strategic blunder of relying on Russian natural gas that’s no longer available, are driving the deindustrialization.”
It does make you wonder how the EU expects to be funded after “carelessly” losing its second biggest contributor and embarking on a policy of deliberately destroying the economy of the biggest one.
February 14, 2024
The Conservatives are just as keen on Net Zero as Labour. It was PM May who made Net Zero 100% by 2050 instead of 80%, the last 20% being the most expensive and economy destroying of all. It was PM Johnson who moved the banning of ices from 2035 to 2030 to ensure a quicker destruction of our motor industry. PM Sunak may have changed this back to 2035 to align with the EU but the dates and quotas for the fines on ices have not changed.
Since Net Zero by 2050 is the law it is the CCC and our judiciary (neither of whom have any electrical/engineering training) who are now deciding the method, pace and hence cost of our descent into Net Zero, with the Government even funding the organisation, ClientEarth, that takes it to court for falling behind with the CCC’s Net Zero budgets as they did in July 2022.
The reason why the climate activists have no issue with China emitting vast quantities of CO2 is firstly because they know that the CO2 scam is false and secondly because China is already an authoritarian/communist state.
February 14, 2024
“The costs of Net Zero policies”.
For the climate activists there is simply no discussion to be had on the costs, either financial or the social/human costs, including a severe reduction in the world’s population, because they argue that no cost is excessive when anthropogenic emissions of CO2 from burning hydrocarbon fuels will destroy the planet.
CAGW does not exist, as shown by Happer & Wijngaarden whose calculations on the real atmosphere, including water vapour, unlike the IPCC models, show a negligible increase in GHG when atmospheric CO2 is doubled. Solving the equation of transfer, originally developed by astrophysicists to calculate the radiation loss from a star such as the sun, their results, the ultimate test of any scientific work or theory, match the observed data so impressively well they can even show, correctly, that atmospheric CO2 actually cools rather than warms above Antarctica. Go to the CO2 Coalition website or YouTube ‘CO2, The Gas of Life, William Happer’ for the details.
February 14, 2024
‘’ Under Mr Sunak the government has been relaxing some of the requirements’’
Please clarify that you mean the relaxing of the schedule and not the policy requirements i.e nothing has changed on net-zero apart from the timetable
February 14, 2024
A recent Wokingham Borough Council e-mail showed a proposed array of solar panels across a local field and boasted that it would supply enough energy to supply 10,000 homes. Maybe it was bad proof-reading, but they seem to have left out the word “intermittently.” So much of the media presentation of renewables is just propaganda.
February 14, 2024
David L
Indeed, there is no 100% green energy supplied to anyone, as it all goes to supply the National Grid, which is a cocktail of all of the energy sources.
You can of course have your own fraction of green/alternative generation source, which is then supplemented by the grid cocktail system, when the wind does not blow, and the sun dies not shine.
February 14, 2024
A better question to ask is: how many typical UK homes would it heat on a -10°C day when the sun isn’t shining?
February 14, 2024
It might keep low-watt light on, but not heating, ovens, irons, driers, EVs etc.
February 14, 2024
Starmer wants electricity generation to be zero carbon by 2030. Why is it that politicians think that if they make a statement it will happen? Clearly this won’t and making it law will not alter the facts either. They have such a high opinion of themselves that they truly believe their word is action. It seems Starmer has spent too much time with Milliband – he needs to sack him and instead and get someone who actually knows the subject and is not obsessive. Milliband achieved nothing and is a non achiever. Even if it could be achieved by bankrupting the country and closing down industry, travel etc. perhaps the oh so clever Starmer can tell us precisely what difference it would make to world emissions and climate change. Nothing is the answer and if he cannot accept this he is not up to the job of PM. We must not vote for either of these useless parties, or the even worse LibDims.
February 14, 2024
I saw some of Sunak on telly the other night until I could bear it no more and switched off. He is so robotic, so formulaic and all he said we heard a dozen times during the leadership election when he was rejected. I did have a laugh though when at one point, discussing inflation, he said, ‘When I was given this job……’ He should of course have said ‘when I stabbed Boris in the back and took his job…….’ He’s a liar like all the rest.
February 14, 2024
You forgot the robotic “Right” at the end of every sentence.
Right!
February 14, 2024
Sir John, why do you argue the details of Net Zero implementation when there could well be no need for net zero in the first place. One of our worst prime ministers, Mrs May, signed us up to this without our permission despite many opposing expert views. All opposing views are censored. Why is that?
“Techno Cons” have been defined by Nobel Physicist John F Clauser as: “The application of scientific disinformation for opportunistic purposes.”
Look up the case on Mann v Steyn just heard in the USA for a good example of this.
And please, if you think the opposing views should be widely aired, help with that cause.
February 14, 2024
H+C, please tell us (in your own words, if that is possible) why the result of Mann vs Steyn is ‘a good example of this’, possibly considering the scientific credibility of the two parties, Michael Mann and Mark Steyn/Rand Simberg and the types of arguments they used.
February 14, 2024
If the electrical grid were to be down for an extended period of time, such as a year or two, per R. James Woolsey (one time CIA director) estimates of deaths from starvation, lack of water and social disruption are “that within a year or so, two-thirds of the United States population would die”, perhaps even ninety per cent..
Going green with local generation might (I speculate) even mitigate against events that can be expected. A geomagnetic disturbance event (naturally occurring solar magnetic disturbances that periodically disrupt the earth’s magnetic field) can induce currents on the electric grid to damage or destroy key transformers over large areas. Also a large, human-made electromagnetic pulse event would have similar effect, more localized from use of small, portable, easily concealed battery-powered units or very widespread from use of nuclear missiles.
It would be pleasing to think the government took energy security very seriously.
February 14, 2024
If that were to happen the biggest death toll by far would be from neighbour shooting neighbour to gain the foodsupply etc. That would escalate when law enforcement arrived and enormous numbers of ‘private militia’ would take on the enforcement agencies. It wouldn’t need a year or two for the breakdown of ‘law and order’ with the best armed civilian population in the world.
February 14, 2024
Labour cannot be trusted to manage or produce any standard I could support ; equally the same applies to the Sunak/Hunt regime . I want our leadership to include the wisdom and policies of those that Sir John has highlighted over the many years I have followed his posts . Feet on the ground and effective planning are necessary ingredients in any Government .
February 14, 2024
Manchester ( being predominantly labour voters ) want it all and are not prepared to pay.The borders have changed and many boroughs are classed as Greater Manchester.The crack shows when NHS services will not be paid for under the umbrella of Greater Manchester and the costs are thrown back to the smaller boroughs which they have swallowed by name only.
February 14, 2024
Were there to be “… fast replacement of diesel and petrol vehicles with electric” then total carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by c. 15% assuming all of the electricity was green generated. It must be doubted if that figure is material enough to make the cost and disruption worthwhile.
Per YouTube’s Harry’s Garage (Harry Metcalf) private cars account for around half the CO2, with HGVs, buses, motorcycles etc. accounting for the rest. So for c. 7.5% of CO2 saving at most the private motorist must face the costs and constraints of EVs.
February 14, 2024
Its an 184 page document but I implore everyone to read our governments bible on climate change & its resultant policies of net-zero produced under UK law by the climate change committee ….why did our esteem MPs make a committee so powerful that even our elected government is answerable to it ?
‘Responding to the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) Annual Progress Report 2022 Recommendations’
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1147368/govt-response-ccc-annual-progress-report-recommendations.pdf
Point 108 – ‘Companies that fail to provide a Carbon Reduction Plan which meets these requirements risk deselection from the procurement’ ….ie. Tata Steel
February 14, 2024
Voters need to realise that their vote for any of the existing Parliamentary parties – Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem, SNP, Greens, PC – will be taken by these parties as a vote to continue with Net Zero and mass immigration.
February 14, 2024
Correct – Only Reform have said they’d scrap ‘net-zero’
February 14, 2024
That’s why millions will vote for them. Legacies have betrayed us for too long!!
February 14, 2024
“Labour say they are still wedded to the idea of zero carbon electricity generation by 2030”
And the Conservatives by 2035.
The fact that there is no CAGW caused by the burning of hydrocarbons is proven by the fact that these climate activists are not intending to transition to cheap, affordable reliable, abundant nuclear energy (fission) but instead to expensive, unreliable, chaotically intermittent renewables. The reason is to cause impoverishment, the destruction of our manufacturing and the rationing of energy, food and transport.
The next renewables auction will see fixed offshore wind at £100.27/MWhr and floating offshore wind, needed as we move to deeper waters further offshore, at £241.75/Mwhr. Both at 2023 prices. According to the Royal Society’s “Large-Scale Electricity Storage” report these prices would double to £200/MWhr and £480/MWhr to provide reliable, dispatchabe electricity using hydrogen storage. This compares with RR SMRs at £50-£75/MWhr (depending whether RAB or CfD funding) at 2021 prices and even the EDF EPR Hinkley Point C at £128/MWhr. (2023 prices). Note BTW that the Finnish version of the EDF EPR, although also very late is providing electricity in Finland at £53/MWhr as they did not use Chinese finance as did Cameron, Osborne and Davey. For decades prior to the Ukraine war gas generated electricity was around £65/MWhr.
The reason for electrification is to be able to provide population control over heating (heat pumps) and transport (bevs) through the use of smart meters.They know the electric versions are more expensive and less practical, and in the case of bevs, even dangerous
February 14, 2024
Targets and net zero policies are being put on our supermarkets that are passing them on to our farmers making home food production uncompetitive. No wonder farmers are in revolt. Control the food supply and you control the masses. The public is walking into a dystopian future by voting for any of the current main parties. Going into an election with the statement that the other party is worse or that a vote for Reform is a vote for Labour is not going to win anyone over.
February 14, 2024
‘It is time interviewers on main media asked these crucial questions……..’
It is time interviewers on main media were challenged on the own beliefs in climate change and thus their bias against some interviewees.
February 14, 2024
Remarkable that a gang of 650 people can be so ignorant of science, economics, reality or anything as to believe in net zero or mysterious diseases that have cures hundreds of times more dangerous than the disease or that mass immigration will keep the tax money flowing in.
Even more remarkable is that the general population submit to being ruled by this gang of ignorant psychopaths.
When even the brainwashed start to work out that EVs are ridiculous and dangerous the dribbling idiots in Westminster still double down on the BS. Perhaps you’re hoping that the social and economic collapse and building civil war in this country will still leave you in luxury to rule what’s left of the proles?
News flash- it won’t.
February 14, 2024
Simply put its not a gang, merely hand picked robots who will follow the leader, much like sheep.
February 14, 2024
The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP said he’s ‘sticking to the plan, the plan is clearly working’ ….he’s correct, a plan of wishful thinking and fingers crossed hasn’t damaged the economy …it hasn’t helped either
What is the current cost of net-zero, and whats the estimated costs 2030, 2040 & 2050 ? Does anyone know ?
February 14, 2024
If JR permits…
Don’t know if this is worth doing but I filled and submitted.
https://forms.zohopublic.eu/fairfueluk/form/BUDGETMARCH2024/formperma/PMNA3K0qp3OFk9vjdHD9pUt0hBrMzDLiQfboIBW7cR4
February 14, 2024
I’ll ask an obvious question of the Government/ Any prospective UK Government, in fact.
“With a lowly 0.88% of the total global emissions of CO2, why is this country wasting £ Billions attempting to bring it down to zero”? It is nothing compared with the rest.
The UK lies down at 17th on the list of world emitters, yet we appear to be directing the most efforts to reduce our total, when the likes of China, India and the USA account for over 50% of it.
In fact, China throws out a massive 32.88% of the total and is more than the combined output of the top 6 below them. And what are they doing to get themselves down to zero or even lower than 32%? Why! Building a new coal-fired power station each week! Marvellous, something to cancel out our measly reduction. So we waste our money for no net gain anyway.
So, someone who is responsible for this drastic and expensive OTT measure, please explain why we pensioners and taxpayers must foot the bill for your possibly, personal vanity project? Especially when the worse of performers do less?
February 14, 2024
From a calibration perspective.
Has the evidence for global warming been put to a judge. If not then it’s not believable science. Given that science requires evidence beyond + beyond reasonable doubt.
February 14, 2024
We have to become energy self reliant.
February 15, 2024
We have a new department of energy security ….the problem is that both this tory government and labour see our future energy security in ‘wind-turbines’ from china
February 14, 2024
interesting to see the judge who gave a very lenient sentences to some pro Gaza terrorist protesters, has today been tweeting his support for the free Palestine movement.
we all know its going on, but to be so blatant in the bias is outrageous.
lets see how the blob handle this eh.
February 15, 2024
The so-called Levelized Cost of electricity is no such thing, because it does not include the cost of storing electricity for winter periods of low wind. The renewables industry should be made to quote the price of keeping us supplied 24/365 on demand. As it is, they are quoting the price of their power at times it is convenient for them to sell it to us.
February 15, 2024
Sir John, well said for saying all this. But we don’t just need “a few” pumped storage schemes; we actually would need hundreds of them.
Storing electricity in the quantities required turns out to be a major headache and the cost astronomical. They are not correctly accounting for the storage costs as things stand. Many bodies have noted this.
February 15, 2024
Exactly!
February 17, 2024
Labour Party are ditching the spend of £28bn of green projects so that they can be seen as responsible stewards of the economy, So why is are the Conservatives spending £60bn on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) rather than jobs or steel security or defence?.
J Hunt gave £20bn to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in last years budget, and C Coutinho has given £40bn to Drax for CCS on top of the £600m per year Drax gets as a subsidy to burn American trees. Drax generates a year aveage of 1.58Gw – 5.3%of UK electricity, but only 1.06% of UK energy.
The government seem much more interested in their Net Zero credentials.