The last government was only slowly easing the self harm net zero policies the EU made us follow which the Climate Change Committee wanted to gold plate. They agreed to lift bans on new oil and gas drilling and new UK production. They delayed the ban of selling petrol and diesel cars but left in place damaging fines for selling too many. They relaxed the need to get rid of gas boilers and install heat pumps.
Mr Miliband arrived in office, reversed all of those measures and set about enforcing a more severe bout of self harm. He introduced “Clean” electricity only by 2030 requiring a further surge in imports and massive subsidies. He speeded up the closure of our petrol and diesel car plants and with the Business Secretary agreed the closure of our remaining blast furnaces. He probably welcomed the closure of the Grangemouth refinery.
Is he unaware of the massive damage his dear energy and rapid exit from gas is doing? Does he really believe relying on more windfarms and solar panels will secure our supply or lower the prices? Has he asked how much it costs to keep gas power stations on stand by for bad weather? Has he seen how in cold snaps with little wind we pay sky high prices to import to keep the lights on?
Our electricity bills have 17% extra on for renewable subsidies and helping consumers who cannot afford the high prices. There is VAT. There are windfall taxes on oil, gas and renewables. Oil and gas companies now have to pay 78%. The old Renewables Obligation certificates and the newer contracts for difference pour billions of pounds of subsidies into renewables.
The US grows faster and is a lot richer thanks to policies that deliver much cheaper energy. Their electricity price on average is half ours.
February 26, 2025
It is not credible that nobody in government has been asking these questions. One can conclude only that they are being sat upon by others more senior and that the resulting policy is, ‘yes we know it is economically ruinous but it is necessary so it will be done. The rest is PR.’ Even if there were an infallible argument for CAGW it is not difficult to devise less ruinous policies. So whether it is ministers deciding this or the nefarious blob, it is deliberate policy, but wrong.
February 26, 2025
It’s no good blaming the EU, this debacle is entirely home grown with the passing of the CCA which was enthusiastically clapped through by the majority of politicians
Treacherous May added to this with her Net Zero nonesense again enthusiastically embraced by Parliament . Government policy is now being dictated by eco activists many who stand to gain from all these subsidies and they are backed by our Marxist legal profession.
Government has lost control of energy policy and it will be very difficult to wrest it back from the champagne eco loons.
Last night Milibrain was on tv telling us that when we get home grown clean electricity our bills will reduce, the very day OFGEM increase the cap by £111. The man’s a deluded idiot and no one can stop his destruction.
Reply May and co went for net zero to align with their EU duties. UK officials liked gold plating EU directives.
February 26, 2025
Reply to reply. She didn’t have to follow. The EU could do what they wanted.
February 26, 2025
@Reply – Yes, seemingly, but how come other EU States don’t have Laws, punitive punishment laws. For that matter the rest of the World our competitors are immune from May’s and the UK Parliaments punishment and high energy tariffs – that are killing UK industry and impoverishing its people. Is it that the UK Parliament and its MPs want to destroy the UK?
Our MPs as the only legitimate Legislators they could change it all tomorrow and just align the UK with the whole world. We would still achieve results ahead of all(the World, including the precious EU) of them – as that is what would happen when Parliament and Government work together with the People that pay and empower them.
February 26, 2025
Other countries have also Net Zero policies: ‘Which countries have legally-binding net-zero emissions targets?’ 05/11/2020 nsenergybusiness.com
2045 Sweden, 2050 UK, France, New Zealand, Denmark, Hungary, 2060 China.
February 26, 2025
Oops 2050 Japan, South Korea.
February 27, 2025
Laws can be changed.
February 26, 2025
Reply To Reply :
There is no avoiding the facts that over 14 years, consecutive Conservative-led governments did immense damage to our economy through their misguided climate change policies ( plus a complete failure to reduce immigration and much else besides). This was not the fault of the EU. MPs such as our host must have been hard-put to remain in the party while all this was going on.
It directly led to the loss of the last election with the Conservative brand now being so tarnished that millions of former life-long Conservatives, including me, will never vote for the party again. How can Badenoch expect to restore the party’s fortunes when she sees all those faux Conservatives lined up behind her ? The party is finished.
Reply They were following EU and International Treaty requirements. It was part of the reason I campaigned for years to get us out
February 27, 2025
Sorry, John, but the EU had nothing to do with the increase in net migration to over 700,000, the restrictions on self employment, including IR35, the ongoing low VAT threshold, freezing income tax allowances, nor was it responsible for neglecting our defences, we can add May’s disastrous climate change act and her completely inept handling of our exit from the EU. All these were done with the encouragement of most of your party.’s MPs, but not, of course by yourself. I could go on.
By the time we are approaxhing the next election, good members of your party such as Esther McVey will have given up and follow you by retiring from parliament have moved across to Reform. I certainly expect JR-M will have joined Nigel and Co.
Reply I opposed the bad ideas you mention. Put your criticisms of the past Conservative government to a Conservative site. I am not going to keep on posting these tired old criticisms.
February 26, 2025
Reply to Reply : I don’t thnk we can blame the EU when Germany is the 4th largest user of coal after China, India and the USA. It’s our own home grown policy. It was a Conservative Minister, the COP26 President, who had hmself filmed blowing up a coal-fired power station.
February 27, 2025
https://euobserver.com/Green%20Economy/ar11ac914a
“Carbon pricing, primarily through the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), is central to the EU’s ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The ETS covers sectors like electricity and heat generation, industrial manufacturing, and maritime transport. By attaching a price to emissions, it incentivises reductions in these high-polluting industries.
The aim is to cut emissions by 62 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels and reach net-zero by 2050.
However, to meet these targets, carbon prices must rise over time … “
February 27, 2025
Germany has no option having disposed of all other energy. Ironic that the Greens have introduced the burning of the most dreadful brown coal – it stinks – like the most backward countries of the world.
I wonder whether they see the joke?
February 26, 2025
Yes, the Globalists, including those in the British Establishment, have decreed that our economy can be wrecked and what remains of our industrial / manufacturing sector can be sacrificed “for the greater good.”
Why should they care; they believe the will be immune from the consequences.
February 26, 2025
Shows how stupid they are. They live off us. We go down, they go down.
February 26, 2025
They seem to want lots of private services to go down. From Schools to Farms, Pubs to Nightclubs. Then, rail franchises to water companies.
I was watching Barry Gardiner the other night, and he said hire and fire is rampant in private companies. He quoted Weetabix and P&O as examples. Rupert Lowe said it wasn’t a regular occurrence in SMEs, so what is happening? Businesses must give workers notice if they are disciplined – going through procedures if they want to be dismissed, or they must pay redundancy and notice payments. So what is this fire and rehire they are going on about by British-based companies?
February 26, 2025
The quality of questioning in house and by the media is also pathetic. How many times are we told that the price of gas is ‘set by international markets and any UK product will not reduce our costs’. First, there is a huge difference in gas price between US and Europe and the middle-east, because that is where the producers are. Second, we own the gas under our feet, instead of a cash royalty on product why not take the royalty as a % of production, that goes to the UK market only. This could be stored and managed when import prices go silly high and during winter. Third, long-term fixed price contracts….?
February 26, 2025
Starmer/Labour are not listening.
Force rather than persuasion is they only way they will change course.
February 26, 2025
When we produced all our own gas we had the lowest gas prices in any major market in the world – including being lower than Henry Hub prices in the US and Alberta in Canada. The recent spike in gas prices was caused by having to outbid Asia to divert LNG supply to Europe. Now the supply is arriving, and the end of winter is in sight LNG prices are falling back again. If we were able to rely on our own supply, maybe topped up by pipeline from Norway (and thus not capable of other export) we would have had no need to buy in that costly LNG .
February 26, 2025
I should add that the reason Europe ended up needing more LNG was because it has been rather less windy on average, despite a few storms (some of which were strong enough to cause windfarms to close for safety until the worst had passed). A bit colder too.
February 26, 2025
Extremely dear energy rather more than double USA prices. Rendering whole industries unable to compete which than renders many other related industries unable to compete. It kills a sound economy, reduces living standards and prevents a sound defence policy.
Lots off driving round Kent and Sevenoaks a nightmare. Huge congestion, absurd 20mph zone vast numbers of pot holes.
I see that life insurance companies in the USA are even trying to cheat their deceased customers killed by Covid Vaccines on the grounds they were taking “experimental” medical treatment and this is excluded from some cover. Insurance is nearly always a very bad bet indeed even when they do not go to such evil lengths. Nearly always best to self insure and cut out all the insurance company profits, admin costs, hassle of seeking policies and making claims, the paying others fraudulent claims plus the 12% or 20% IPT
February 26, 2025
Only insure for the things that would be devastating if you had to cover it personally, like motor insurance, home insurance and occupier’s liability. Even then maximise the excess. For anything else, ask what is the claims loss ratio for the policy.
February 26, 2025
Yes a French court supported an insurance company which refused to pay out a life insurance as the I diviual knew he was taking part in a medical experiment.
February 26, 2025
The first reversal of Labour party policy was yestersay on defence. Not that anyone knows what to spend the defence bonus on or what to do about acquiring value for money at the MOD. It was a joy to see the slapped with a wet fish faces on the government front bench.
It only remains for the(sacking ed) of Labour’s climate zealot to return sanity to the energy disaster they preside over. There is only one question, does 2TK have the courage to stand up and do it, etc ed . Implosion it will most surely trigger. It cannot occur fast enough.
February 26, 2025
@agricola – all the indications and media ‘gossip’ suggests the real story is that the payout to Mauritius something we own and shouldn’t be paying for will come from the defense budget – so I guess status quo and the big giveaway continues
February 26, 2025
+1
February 26, 2025
The only good news is that they cut the Overseas Aid budget. So maybe even they know the economy is crashing.
Don’t worry, there are plenty more disasters even after Blair’s advice is taken over ‘moronic’ Milliband.
February 26, 2025
For all your silly interventions to dilute the narative, in no sense does it solve any of the inherent problems of our behind the times democracy.
When I took to the sea or air I felt obliged to educate myself in the rules and laws of the professional place I was entering and pass exams to that end. Why, because in entering those places I automatically became responsible for any lives with me or others in the same place.
Accepting that there are a few highly competent people entering Parliament from other professional disciplines, intent on returning the benefit of their experience in life, for the good of less fortunate lives. How is it that the whole of the current Labour front bench, the PM excepted, can be put in charge of defence, energy, foreign policy, etc. etc. with no experience of anything of any significance. On that basis our illegal boat people should be put in charge of super tankers and 747s landing at Heathrow. To the political defecit you can add the civil service defecit. We allow this circus of incompetence to run UK Ltd., egged on by zealot vociferous minorities.
It is why I admire Reform’s intent to professionalise government. I lose respect for those who censor free speach as happens all too frequently. They become part of the problem.
February 26, 2025
The money will be spent on protecting US Assets in Ukraine.
February 26, 2025
I think Miliband should be asked a very straightforward question by Parliament and the media: show me the proof that global-energy related CO2 emissions need to be net zero by 2050 to limit the global temperature rise by 1.5 degree celsius. I guarantee he can’t do it as no-one in the climate body can do it either and that is because it does not exist.
All the climate models that have been provided so far factor in ‘assumptions’ and by their own admission their models do not work after 20 years anyway (in fact they don’t work < 20 years either owing to the assumptions). Crucially, they do not supply any statistical tests either to prove the models' reliability (which is an essential requirement for any model).
Standard modelling tests would prove if the NZ2050 claim is valid or not yet no-one in the climate body provides the results of those tests. I wonder why?
NZ2050 is therefore a hoax and there are ulterior motives for this headlong rush to NZ2050. Miliband is clearly intensifying it with 'clean' electricity by 2030.
So I ask him, show us the model and its test results Mr Miliband that proves the NZ2050 requirement and the need for 'clean' electricity by 2030. If you can't do that then you must stop peddling the NZ2050 rot immediately as it is harming the British people immensely!
February 26, 2025
All the reported temperature data since 1990 is based on a different mix of weather stations than was employed pre 1990. No attempt was made to make a parallel run of the two sets of data to see if they produced a comparable result. So comparisons of temperature data before and after 1990 contain an unknown error that could easily be 1 degree C plus or minus 0.5 degrees C. Only c200 of the previous c4200 weather stations carried over to the c1200 weather stations that replaced the earlier set. The revised set was at lower altitudes, many close to sea level, and overall it was reported that there was a shift in location closer to the equator.
February 26, 2025
You can calculate using IPCC assumptions about climate sensitivity etc. That if the UK achieves Net Zero on schedule the effect on global temperatures would be 0.003C. Too small to measure.
February 26, 2025
Well said Paul , every word is true, we need rid of all corrupt far left politicians
February 26, 2025
Milliband does not care, John. He is a climate change zealot. He does not mind that he is forcing this country into the dark ages
February 26, 2025
Jay Cee
Some would say that forcing the country into the dark ages is the intention!
February 26, 2025
And I assume you are not referring to the Asylum Scam.
February 26, 2025
…and it was Sunak who cancelled fracking for shale gas, and The Climate Change Act 2017 introduced net-zero law and 2050 targets
February 26, 2025
It is called, “Creative destruction.” Or, “Build back better.” Either way, the result is the same. A bloody Socialist mess !
February 26, 2025
Until the public realise how much this is costing them, it’s not going to change. For that to happen we need clarity on energy bills (” your bill is £x, £y is for energy you used, £z is not for energy but is subsidy paid to renewable energy producers and distributors so that they make a guaranteed profit at your expense”), an honest media and an unbiased educational system.
February 26, 2025
Some easy to remember numbers.
Feed-in tariffs cost over £200/MWh
The average CFD costs £150/MWh
Renewables on ROC subsidies (the majority) get £100/MWh on top of market prices on average.
Electricity from gas now costs £75/MWh plus carbon tax of about £15-20/MWh.
Extra grid and balancing costs to handle renewables plus interconnectors and the need to outbid Europe for supply push up the costs still further.
February 26, 2025
All political parties won’t be satisfied till along with the tree hugging flip flop wearing greens that were all living in caves and hunting for food with spears, the sooner this net zero crap is totally confined to the dustbin of human ignorance the better we will all start to be again, I know the 50s and 60s were tough but if I had a time machine I’d go back and change a lot of stuff that’s put us in this stupid situation
February 26, 2025
Political power and the power that runs your house, car and factory turn out to be the same thing. Not enough of the latter means not enough of the former.
February 26, 2025
Well, thanks to the awful Brexit deal which the pro-EU Westminster Uni-Party foisted on us, and then Sunak’s Windsor Treachery, we aren’t allowed to compete with “our friends” in the EU so there’s precious little either Labour or the Treacherous Tories will be able to do about it unless they finally realise that we actually have to LEAVE the EU.
Sunak tinkered with the Net Zero SCAM after the EU first changed the delivery date for EV cars. He was moving in lockstep with them. All Labour has done is ramped up the virtue-signalling again and made our longer-term energy security even less reliable by blowing up the last coal-fired power station and plugging shale gas wells so they can never be used.
The Westminster Uni-Party will only ditch the SCAM when the German Government is forced to ditch it and that’s not going to happen for a while yet. Reform UK will, because they’re prepared to LEAVE the EU.
February 26, 2025
Coal fired power stations have very low efficiency. Better to burn the coal to heat your house.
February 26, 2025
A modern HELE coal fired power station would have a marginal cost of about £20/MWh at the moment, whereas the recently closed RATS would be at £33/MWh (before carbon taxes in both cases, which would be around £40/MWh for RATS and £26/MWh for the HELE plant). Of course the new plant would have a significant cost for amortisation and financing, but if it were run to achieve a 70% capacity factor, close to the ratio between average and peak demand the all in cost would be competitive with gas – and more so exclusive of carbon taxes.
February 27, 2025
Not if you have no chimney.
February 26, 2025
The madness of trying to remove <1% 0f 0.04% of Earths atmosphere.
The madness of chasing 'net zero' at any cost.
The madness of voluntarily making energy so dear it destroys our own manufacturing ability.
The madness of Milliband.
February 26, 2025
The madness of those who stand by and watch him!
February 26, 2025
madness or the hostility against the UK and its economy and future?
February 26, 2025
Correct
February 26, 2025
The insanity of MPs who voted for the legislation that caused the looming disaster is beyond comprehension.
February 26, 2025
Agreed. Although in some cases (certainly in the House of Frauds) self-interest has had a great deal to do with it.
February 26, 2025
Once you’re on £100k, your energy bills aren’t of the same importance as when you’re on £25k ….bloody politicians
February 26, 2025
Not insanity merely ensuring they keep their office and CV intact. The worst effect of filling the place witrh sheep.
February 26, 2025
Excellent summary, John. One correction, as I understand it, US energy prices are actually one quarter of ours.
February 26, 2025
The US is a big country, and energy prices vary significantly according to circumstances, some self-inflicted. Prices are high in Hawaii which depends mainly on shipped in oil, and in California and parts of New England where politicians have acted to limit nuclear and fossil fuel supply and imposed extra taxes. They are low in the oil and gas producing areas, and higher in areas that have to rely on imports from the producing areas. If the Keystone pipeline goes ahead prices in the Midwest will be lowered by more cheaper import from Canada.
February 26, 2025
The reason we have high energy costs in the UK is that 40% of our electricity is produced using CCGT plant burning gas. We have to pay market prices for importing the gas, holding us to ransom by the fossil fuel industry. And the best CCGT plant are only 50% efficient. The other 50% goes up cooling towers to heat the planet.
To which we should add the £billions and £billions in direct subsidy paid to the oil and gas majors, which they absorb into profits and ultimately pay out to their shareholders – plus paying for the endless anti-renewables, anti EV, anti heat-pumps etc and other pro-fossil fuel propaganda in the right-wing press. What about adding in the $3 trillion cost to the USA for climate emergencies in the past ten years? The fossil fuel industry has no interest in supporting a change to renewable energy, they see it as an existential threat to their business model
The fact is that the cheapest form of electricity available to us is onshore wind, followed by solar and offshore wind, harvesting free energy – of which these islands are blessed with an abundance.
Reply This is wrong. Electricity from a gas fuelled generator offering baseload is cheaper than offshore wind, whose costs have to include a gas power station on stand by for when there is no wind. Our costs of importing electricity when its cold, dark and windless are huge as the prices surge in such conditions.
February 26, 2025
Your delusion is strong Sakara Gold. Either that or you believe that the best form of gas-lighting is achieved on Sir John’s blog.
February 26, 2025
“The reason we have high energy costs in the UK is that 40% of our electricity is produced using CCGT plant burning gas.”
So how come the USA has electricity prices 50% of ours when they only have 13% renewable power ? UK has 40% renewable.
February 27, 2025
We have 40% so called “low carbon” electricity and even that includes burning young coal (wood) at Drax but electricity is only about 20% of total mankind’s total energy use and excluded the energy used by industries that have been exported by the uni party policies over many years. It also ignores the extra carbon caused by gas back up that is needed.
February 27, 2025
Sorry misread your comment as 40% low carbon!
February 26, 2025
SG :
If renewables were cheaper than gas there would be no need for them to continue to be subsidised. Not only are renewables more expensive than gas but they are parasitic energy requiring a full system backup of gas generation when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine because there does not exist, and neither is it planned for, grid-scale electricity storage. The North Sea still provides nearly 50% of our gas and the majority of the balance comes from Norway and the USA. Given that we are still going to need gas in 2050 according the CCC and DESNZ it makes no sense to close down our own gas supplies. Fossil fuels are heavily taxed and not subsidised at all. There is no climate emergency (Google the data on weather) and even the IPCC’s 2000 pages of Working Group 1 (“The Science”) contain no proof that anthropogenic emissions of CO2 cause global warming. Just a greening of the planet so we can grow more food. The real existential threat to our planet is to remove/stop emitting CO2 so that the already very low level drops below the level needed by plants, and hence all life on Earth, to survive.
February 26, 2025
SG – In order to utilise wind or solar without grid scale storage means that you need a reliable backup and as Sir John says you need a gas power station to do this (can Drax or other power station technology be turned on or off at the flick of a switch – I don’t think so). Are banks of Lithium-ION batteries viable to do this, would be better to sack some or all of those 4500 employees working in the Department for Net Zero and invest proper money in to battery research.
February 27, 2025
Practical and affordable grid scale storage is a pipe dream – just because you spend money on R&D does not guarantee any or any huge jumps tech.
February 26, 2025
You really are quite mad.
February 26, 2025
Sir John , It amazes me that so many can be brainwashed into believing this global warming scam!
In fact we are facing a mini Ice Age- natural and will pass !
February 26, 2025
Just the ROC subsidy for onshore wind is about equal to the cost of CCGT generation. Since they do actually sell output at market prices on top of the subsidies, the cost to consumers is much higher. Scottish onshore wind farms also garner much of the curtailment income for not producing at all. That makes their actual output even more expensive.
February 26, 2025
“self harm net zero policies the EU made” I don’t like the EU and how it is run.
But with respect I take issue with that statement
The UK has its own Legislators, even while in the EU, that are the only ones that have a democratic mandate to create, amend and repeal all laws the Laws the UK abides by. It is the UK Legislators, its parliament and its MPs alone that have handicapped the UK with NetZero Laws that are not applied in any of our major competing Nations, including the EU.
It is the UK parliament alone that is maintaining Laws to cause self-harm, they have the mandate and the authority to drop them & they don’t
February 26, 2025
Ultimately that is true, it was MPs who decided to contract out their work of making our laws to Brussels, and see how most of the present crop are keen to reverse Brexit and get that burden of responsibility off their shoulders.
https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/02/25/starmers-brexit-betrayal-could-spark-another-uk-energy-crisis/
“As if homegrown climate policies were not damaging enough, the Labour government is also hoping to yoke Britain to the EU’s climate policies, which are even more punishing than our own.”
February 26, 2025
You are correct that the U.K. Parliament is responsible for all the damage the EU did to us. They sat on the sideline and allowed the bully to beat us up.
No foreigner has done anything to us – our own elected representatives dismantled the U.K. for 50 years.
We know who the exceptions are by their voting record.
The other names should be carve on the last plinth in Trafalgar Square, they should be bankrupted forever to repay what they can of what they cost us and they should be debarred from ever working for the State or standing for any sort of office.
We need to replace the lot, and they must know that if you attack your own country, there is retribution.
February 26, 2025
exactly….the truth hurts so brush under that carpet.
February 26, 2025
✔️✔️well said! sir
February 26, 2025
If renewable electricity is truly cheaper than gas, nuclear or coal generated electricity charge different prices to the consumer for it.
Cheaper supply will drive demand. If is can be supplied then the market will effect change.
Then we will see if the model works. Subsidising distorts the market which government does in too many other areas.
February 26, 2025
But they can’t do it isn’t and that’s the proof.
February 26, 2025
NS :
If renewables were the cheapest way to generate electricity there would be absolutely no need for any (further) subsidies and in fact private industry would be paying for licences to build the wind and solar estates.
There is a very simple way to stop renewables in their tracks. Just make their electricity supply contracts such that all power supplied to the grid must be reliable and dispatchable so that they pay for their own weather dependent, chaotically intermittent and hence unreliable generation. This was proposed by Professor Dieter Helm in his 2017 “Cost of Energy” report. Without this it is unfair to compare renewable generation with gas.
February 26, 2025
It seems we’ll need Trump for Labour to change any of these nutty policies to Reform ones.
February 26, 2025
What a load of ballyhoo over Starmer’s announcement that UKAID will be used to fund our armed services…and also a lot of misdirection.
It won’t happen for another 2 years!
It’s a misdirection because it is clear that Starmer wants to use this money to keep the Ukraine war going, and that very little of the diverted money will find it’s way into our defence.
There is nothing glorious about what is going on, Starmer imagines he can hoodwink Trump into thinking that we are complying with his wishes that we spend more on our defence, when in fact it will just support the warmongers and make sure the Ukraine war doesn’t come to a halt.
Why is Starmer so interested in defending the borders of Ukraine when he cannot be bothered to even pretend to safeguard ours?
February 26, 2025
BH:
Even if the PM gives more money to the MOD it wil be spent on DEI and new desks.
February 26, 2025
Why does no-one ever ask why exactly ‘our’ defence is supposed to begin with Ukraine-or, as is more likely,no-one is actually allowed to ask?
And why does no-one ever challenge that other blatantly false narrative that Putin ‘will not stop at Ukraine’ when just a few minutes research tells you that Russia is advancing its interests to the East and to the South where it is being welcomed enthusiastically, whilst turning its back on a Europe in terminal decline?
February 27, 2025
Because those who challenge are ‘silenced’. The rest are misled by the few who are some of the most limited people in our country.
But watch Trump put on an Oscar winning performance with Starmer and the letter from our Green King. He is busting a gut to save us – split us from the fate of the EU.
Britain will be recovered – at the very last second as is our want.
Thank God for Trump. Musk will help people like JR to cut the Govt to the bone without causing any inconvenience.
Putin has a soft spot for us too. Our people went to great lengths to save his people in St Petersburg.
Take heart.
February 26, 2025
well said- I agree with you Bryan.
February 26, 2025
I’m sure red Ed knows exactly what damage his policies are doing, and yet he pursues them with vigour because he believes so heartily in what he is doing.
Forget all the fancy descriptions and phrases that get used, he is following the plan, laid down by others to:
– drown this country in debt for very little in return;
– reduce the population by making energy either too expensive or otherwise unavailable;
– reduce availability of energy to match what they want our population to be;
– get rid of heavy dirty industries so that we can import less because we cannot afford to do so;
– change our way of life to subsistence level survival;
– allow our defence to become so weak that we will easily be overrun by anyone attacking us;
– destroy anything that was once good about our country.
It’s all in the good book – our destiny, our lack of a decent future!
February 26, 2025
Well, its clear that BP realise the damage as they throttle back on renewables and go ahead with oil & gas as they have announced today.
February 26, 2025
But it was Theresa May who changed the original target so that this reckless experiment became even more destructive for the UK economy while making no significant difference to the evolution of the global climate:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-we-will-end-uk-contribution-to-climate-change-by-2050
I find it astonishing that MPs had empowered the government to do that through secondary legislation, just an Order based on sections of the 2008 Act to be passed by a resolution of both Houses:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2019/9780111187654
“The Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019”
“2.—(1) Section 1 of the Climate Change Act 2008 is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (1), for “80%” substitute “100%”.”
“A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument.”
A new Act might have been the occasion for a proper parliamentary review of the practical outcome of the 2008 Act at that point, after 11 years, possibly with the conclusion that the countries around the world which were the biggest producers of carbon dioxide had not followed our morally excellent self-flagellating example.
February 26, 2025
Mr Milliband is a High Priest. His religion is Climate Crisis Caused by Man. Like all religious zealots he brooks no debate. Anyone who challenges his is a heretic. Everything must be sacrificed in the name of the faith.
This religion is no different to any other. It involves a transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. That is what is going on in the name of net zero. However, as High Priest, Mr Milliband does not care.
February 26, 2025
And like a high priest, he is not subject to the rules he applies to others. He can therefore fly abroad for holidays using his sanctimony credits.
February 26, 2025
Hes a communist just like his boss, they hate our country and the success our forefathers
Achieved
February 26, 2025
We will never forget it was Theresa May who introduced the Net Zero laws. Her gift to the nation was yet more scorched earth. Miliband is just a madman with no one controlling his extreme lunacy. His demand that that energy must be restricted to when the wind blows is just insane.
He is simply carrying out EU policy supported and legalised by the last Tory government without any sense of shame whatsoever.
February 26, 2025
If you will allow Sir John?
Nice graph here – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkep1vx3mro
Notice the cost of “industrial” electricity in the UK verses the rest of Europe, no wonder businesses in this country are going elsewhere to make products.
February 26, 2025
Businesses leaving followed by our children
February 26, 2025
For decades no government has reviewed the ‘standing charge’ scandal –
The electricity average day charge is £00.62p, 365x£0.62p = £226.00
The gas average day charge is £00.32p, 365x£0.62p = £117.00
Thats £343 per household before you use any energy….when are our politicians going to help the people
February 26, 2025
And the final kick, is the government putting VAT on ‘standing charge’ ….robbed once, robbed twice
February 26, 2025
Glen, they don’t talk about that because they like the fudge factor it provides when comparing UK energy cost to other nations.
By ignoring the ‘standing charge’ it makes the UK energy costs particularly renewable energy costs look lower than they are.
The only policy that will demonstrate our government has realised the lunacy of Net Zero, will he when fracking for gas is reintroduced, with full state grant support it now needs to become meaningful.
We are an energy rich nation, we were an example to the world what wealth from reliable low cost energy can bring. It is such a pity our governments over the past thirty years favoured pointless virtue signalling over factual sensible real politics.
February 26, 2025
Domestic customers are lucky. Small businesses with similar levels of consumption pay much higher charges. They are not subject to the OFGEM cap either, so they much more per kWh as well. No wonder so many close down.
February 26, 2025
Its currently being abolished.
I use £2.50-£2.95 P/d electric
of which 70p p/d is standing charge.
The tariffs about to be offered with no standing charge will have
higher unit rates.
So if you have an empty second home ( ie using no elec ) you will be hunky dorey.
But if you are a freezing old ( but beautiful ) codger such as myself you will lose.
Do I care ? No
Daily it’s more ridiculous
February 26, 2025
I’m having a Smart Meter installed on Friday.
It’s entirely you’re choice sez Elec Co.
( but the signal to your Economy 10 is being turned off on June 21 so you’re meter won’t work ! )
This is a choice ?
The first appt, engineer rang Can’t fit Economy 10
Got £40 back
Woohoo can I keep this going £ 40 each time
I could take a cardi off.
Have acquired a fire extinguisher and a balcony ladder for when it explodes.
February 26, 2025
I’ve purchased a dry powder fire extinguisher as well, …the neighbour has a smart-meter and an E-bike
February 26, 2025
Just in case anyone thinks the return of Johnson-the-Destroyer is the answer:
Boris Johnson abruptly changed his stance and blessed Kiev on the rare earth deal with the Americans.
“I understand how alarming it is to think that this deal could be predatory for your country, but I truly believe we need to go through this stage and understand what it really is,” Johnson stated.
Just a day before this statement, the former British Prime Minister had urged Ukraine “not to transfer a single dollar” to an American fund for the extraction of Ukrainian rare earth metals, calling it a scam.
The Financial Times reports that Kiev will sign the agreement on Friday. The USA is providing no security guarantees.
February 26, 2025
I would imagine the USAID files have some very incriminating information in them. Listen to Joe Rogan interview Mike Belz on the subject.
February 26, 2025
Ukraine doesn’t have any significant reserves of rare earths-and none are in production.The whole thing is a stunt -and probably a scam-what isn’t in Ukraine!
The US has a problem because for months China has been restricting or terminating supply of some of these minerals (the processing of which it dominates globally) in anticipation of the trade war with the US.
February 26, 2025
For the time being Western stocks are ample, because the market prices for these elements remain stable and low. Probably the effect of the failure of the EV market to take off as much as anything else. When stocks are close to exhaustion we could see prices escalate very rapidly as they did in the previous cycle.
February 27, 2025
Trump will buy from Russia, the ‘stunt’ is to bring peace to Ukraine and to protect it from the EU/NATO- it’s working!
February 26, 2025
@Lyn Atkinson. That was an abrupt change. I wonder what happened to change his mind?
February 27, 2025
The issue is the empty suitcase that needs to be filled – whatever needs to be said will be said to that end.
February 26, 2025
There is not enough gumption in parliament to stop Ed Miliband from the damage, nuisance and waste he inflicts. As with defence, it may need the intervention of Donald Trump or Elon Musk to draw attention to his stupidity and harm he causes, and force Starmer to act.
Nigel Farage could trigger such comments via Trump simply by requesting his US contacts add it to their Donald Daily Do List requests. Perhaps Farage won’t because if this crazy government began putting things right they might even scrape back into office at the next election with another Ed Stone.
February 26, 2025
“Is he unaware of the massive damage his dear energy and rapid exit from gas is doing?”
No, of course not. Socialism depends upon people remaining poor.
February 26, 2025
Mr. Miliband is implementing NESO’s (National Energy System Operator’s) plan for “clean power” by 2030 (well, 95%) which NESO say “will involve an investment programme averaging over £40 billion annually” (main report P11). No maximum given and is likely to be an HS2 estimate as some of the technology does not yet exist, such as carbon capture. This is £10,000 per household. Furthermore the result will be an insecure energy system that will require, again according to NESO (Annex 1 P14), “customer engagement” (aka rolling blackouts) and insecure interconnector imports making up to 30% of peak demand in order to prevent a complete collapse of the grid, despite at the same time expensively maintaining an entire gas generation system of up to 35 GW.
What will be the cost to the country’s economy when we have intermittent electricity?
This is in addition to the OBR’s figure that green energy subsidies are already costing £12bn/year, over £400/household.
February 26, 2025
The impression I have of watching Parliamentary Select Committee oral evidence meetings on Net Zero and energy policy is that the MPs are provided with the questions and these questions are known in advance by those giving the evidence which will always be CEOs of companies who profit from green subsidies and Civil Service departments and quangos who promote Net Zero, such as the CCC, DESNZ, Mission Control and Ofgem.
There is never any dissenting or different or indeed rational view on energy policy given daylight at these show meetings and it is therefore hardly surprising that Mr. Miliband and his comrades can continue to wear the proverbial Emperor’s new clothes when it comes to energy.
February 26, 2025
Why are we paying for “cheap” wind power at the marginal rate of gas power ? No wonder renewable energy companies are making vast profits.
February 26, 2025
We aren’t. We are paying vastly more for it!
It’s just that they take the rest of the payment out of a different account, and OFGEM fail to report the true total cost figures. At the moment, wind is more than twice the cost of gas generation when you correctly account for the subsidies it gets. Perhaps even more shockingly, even at the height of the energy crisis wind remained more expensive than gas generation.
February 26, 2025
The National Infrastructure Commission on Friday said before 2050 some £37 – £50 billion needs to be spent on the power distribution network to support additional demand and generation, double the present funding. This huge spending is, apparently, essential to achieve the government’s growth mission and lower long-term energy costs for consumers.
Time to raid the overseas aid fund again, now Starmer has shown it can be done?
February 26, 2025
I note that BP have made some logical decisions base on the current rudderless nature of UK government, some see it as insanity.
They will cease all involvement in Nett Zero nonesense emminating from government, but will continue to extract oil and gas from around our shores. This will satisfy their management, shareholders, and the UK Treasury, but will be of zero use to UK energy users as Rasputin has closed the UK market to them. BP will sell it all on the world market. It only emphasises the insanity coming from the department for energy, the utterly useless plan on which energy costs are based In the UK, and the pragmatism of BP.
When will 2TK wake to the knowledge that he carries the destruction of Labour in his Cabinet.
February 26, 2025
The real prize and final goal Ed Miliband seeks through his false CAGW threat and its Net Zero “solution” isn’t in fact high energy prices and consequently de-industrialisation and impoverishment, although this assists, it is electrification.
With the electrification of everything including heating and transport he will have the control of everyone individually through the use of remote controlled smart meters.
February 26, 2025
It’s interesting to note that Chile has just endured a nationwide blackout triggered by interruption on a high voltage transmission line in the North of the country. They were able to restore most supply in less than a day because the backbone of their system relies on hydro power which is easy to use in black start conditions.
February 26, 2025
Its just beyond belief that this country does not have a long term independent energy plan other than windmills
February 26, 2025
Searching the website of the Climate Change Committee for “economic growth” threw up this from 2016:
https://www.theccc.org.uk/2016/09/06/the-industry-of-decarbonisation/
“The Industry of Decarbonisation”
and apparently the CCC Secretariat were confident that decarbonisation did not mean deindustrialisation, let alone economic debilitation or degrowth or destitution:
“The focus on reducing emissions should go alongside economic growth. Emissions have already fallen 38% since 1990 while GDP has increased by over 60%. Furthermore, most of the fall in industrial emissions (about 35%) occurred before the Climate Change Act had even been passed (between 1990 and 2008). The Climate Change Act has not caused a reduction in industrial output. More recently we have seen manufacturing growth alongside emissions reduction. The two can, and should, go hand-in-hand.”
But a 60% increase in GDP between 1990 and 2016 works out at only 1.8% a year, while the average from 1948 to 2008, the year of the Climate Change Act, was 2.7% a year, since when it has been only 1.1% a year.
February 26, 2025
Well, there’s a thing; when I call up the chart for UK GDP back to 1948:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/timeseries/abmi/ukea
and calculate average annual percentage growth rates I get:
1948 – 1990 2.9
1990 – 2008 2.4
2008 – 2016 1.1
2016 – 2024 1.1
Of course that doesn’t prove that the Climate Change Act has cut our growth rate, it could still be the long term consequence of the global financial crisis which was unfolding at the same time as the Act was being passed.
February 26, 2025
The crass stupidity of Net zero means we are paying for two power systems when we only need one! Wind and solar will always need backup by gas, nuclear or, if we were sensible, coal.
Ed Miliband is a zealot for GW/CC/NZ, but why are the other 649 MPs not protesting and demanding hard scientific evidence about the problem? The answer is that there is none.
Why is there no conservative MP with real fire in their belly to expose this absurd scam?
Never before can Parliament have been so opposed to the voters and ordinary people of the UK!
At some point, realism is going to collide with their fantasy, but how much damage will have been done and money wasted by then?
February 26, 2025
The question I would like to ask the Climate Change Committee (or any other interested parties) is…
When we eventually achieve Net Zero here in the UK, by how much will our efforts reduce global average temperatures.
February 26, 2025
Then they will say we need Net Negative, to absorb all the carbon dioxide we released before we knew better.
February 26, 2025
I think there will come a time when people just take to the streets.
February 26, 2025
Insanity reigns supreme with this Labour so-called “government” .
I have never felt so concerned as this nonsensical situation has been building up since New Labour arrived in 1997 (and John Major before that).
Ordinary voters challenged Miliband in 2015 when he attempted to fool us, but like Gordon Brown became unstuck when he met a Yorkshire woman asking him a simple question.
“Ed Miliband’s bid to take charge of the British economy has been shredded by a businesswoman from Leeds who told the Labour leader he cannot be trusted.” Ed Miliband thought “No money left” was a joke.
“The woman who shredded Red Ed: How marketing company boss used laser-like precision”.
He seems to be on target to ensure a repeat disaster on steroids.
Business folk must be concerned esp SME s.
February 26, 2025
Hi sir John
The biggest threat is the world’s population but no one talks about it
it’s a massive problem for the uk
Energy Supplys are getting less the cost to install heating systems in homes are becoming more expensive but the need for energy is getting greater and growing
Thanks
And the the uk population is growing faster
Than the country can deal with
February 26, 2025
The key is not to belong to any group but to think for oneself. Never be violent.
Think and work it out .
There is no “right answer”
Just personal morality and insight.
Why do I persist ? It’s interesting. I’ve learned much over the last few years.
What would I abolish ?
The Red Arrows ( replace with big noise and AI multi coloured smoke )
PMQs Ridiculous.
Fact Finding trips and MOD jollies for MPs, Lords and Civil Servants )
MI5 and 6 too languid .
Current reading Spycatcher ( again) and PG Wodehouse (hilarious )
I’m neither pro Russkie or US. Just an interested observer.
Current DVD – Original Edge of Darkness (Bob Peck).
BBC was brilliant in the day.
Can one be an interested observer without being an Enemy of the State ?
Yes that’s me.
February 26, 2025
Dear Mr. Redwood,
Here in the United Kingdom, there is no problem so acute, no crisis so grave, no situation so desperate that the involvement of politicians and government cannot make worse – seemingly without even trying.
February 26, 2025
It isn’t very comforting for our energy needs.
Sky News says UK energy bills are the highest in Europe. Labour promised savings of £300 by 2030 but bills are still higher than before the war in Ukraine began. Even though the possibility of a peace deal has caused wholesale energy bills to fall in recent weeks the UKs bills are still going up.
If Tesla’s power walls were more affordable, I’d buy one to be more self-reliant, but if you have gas and electricity coming in, even if you don’t use it, you still have to pay for both daily rates; it’s like the BBC.
The Climate Change Committee – who elected them? Has told the Government to hit net zero it must impose radical lifestyle changes on the UK population. Writes Toby Young (dailysceptic). David Frost put out an X that said the Climate Change Committee (CCCuk) produced a five year plan (the 7th Carbon Budget) “its grim stuff for those who like free societies and economic prosperity” the important bit “the CCC says nearly 40% of the reductions to achieve net zero come from lifestyle change”.
EVs
Home heating
less meat
less flying (you know the frequent flyers in government, royalty, gates etal will get free passes). Is this why they’re trying to teach the Spanish youth tourism is bad and to protest it and the Venetians?
February 26, 2025
“Is he [Mr. Miliband] unaware of the massive damage his dear energy and rapid exit from gas is doing?”
Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Wednesday 5 February 2025: 16:37:
Ben Golding, Director Clean Power 2030 Unit, DESNZ, said in answer to the question:
“How does your mission [for clean power] integrate with [the government’s] growth mission?”
“They are very closely aligned in the way they work together. So the position of the government is absolutely that growth and progress towards net zero and towards clean power are pulling in the same direction. It’s fair to say that will not always be the case on all things but overall this a strong foundation for growth and that the two missions at official level and at indeed at mission board level have been working hand in glove.”
So that’s all OK then.
February 26, 2025
163 criminals arrived in the UK yesterday; from the safe country of France …..and they all get ‘free’ energy for life, all paid for by the taxpayer
February 26, 2025
They simply don’t care.
February 26, 2025
Is the government continuing the Chagos Islands debate today ….so no one talks about ‘net-zero’
February 26, 2025
I regularly read in the media that renewable electricity is cheaper than electricity produced by burning gas. Facts and figures seem to hard to come by.
February 27, 2025
Not in this blog.
February 28, 2025
The Labour party has, one hopes, some people who understand the impact of Miliband’s policies especially upon future inflation and the competitive position of the UK vis a vis other countries in Europe and the US and Canada to say nothing of China etc. Why do the more sensible members of the Government not make their views known? i.e Miliband must be removed for the sake of the citizens of the UK.