My latest Conservative Home article
The Prime Minister made a little headway with Conservative opinion when he announced a new realism concerning the road to net zero. Former Conservative voters who are telling pollsters they will abstain or vote Reform took some interest in what he had to say. They agreed that it makes sense to get our own oil and gas out of the North Sea instead of importing more. It brings us better paid jobs, lots of tax revenue and lowers world CO 2 output. They agreed we should not ban new diesel and petrol cars in 2030. They are expecting more in this same sensible vein and are impatient for future developments.
     The world background is so different from the world implied by UK policy. Most forecasts expect oil and gas output and use to continue to increase this decade. Most anticipate further large increases in CO 2 output this decade from China and for many years from India. As a result we are still some way off peak CO 2 output for the world. Many UK people who buy into the idea of curbing world carbon output do not see the point in the UK cutting back further on its own high energy using activities if we simply import what is needed from countries like China. They carry on burning coal oil and gas to make the things for us. If the UK did more for itself the amount of world carbon dioxide output would fall a little as we would save all the transport CO 2 to bring in the goods from abroad, and would often have more fuel efficient processes than the leading exporters. It would also help if we grew more of our own food instead of using subsidies to stop home production.
     The UK has allowed itself to get hung up on wonky carbon accounting. If we import all the wood we need to burn in the Drax power station apparently that is green, but if we started producing our own sustainable timber to burn there would be a CO 2 attribution. What about all the extra CO 2 bringing the wood all the way across the Atlantic causes? Shouldn’t we account for that? If we close down our coal burning blast furnaces and import our steel we have cut our CO 2 but world CO 2 will go up. In the meantime we have lost the jobs and the tax revenues making our own steel brings, and have weakened our ability to make things from steel including vital defence items. The Prime Minister is good at detail so he needs to challenge these absurdities in official policy formation.
     There needs to be a big rethink on the idea that we can get everyone to net zero by regulating, lecturing and fining companies. It’s a crazy world where our energy companies are fined because not enough people are prepared to have a “free” smart meter in their homes. The government needs to ask why people do not want them and trust them instead of wasting so much tax money on trying to get them adopted. It is bizarre that car companies making and selling vehicles here will be fined if they sell too many diesel and petrol cars at a time when electric cars are unpopular with the general public. Again the issue is ,how can electric cars be made affordable and attractive to customers? The government keeps on recommending heat pumps to be faced with tiny demand compared to the popular gas boilers. They need to work on their affordability, their practicality and their running costs. They also need to let the industry catch up. I would like a good one for my flat but there is nothing on offer that could be installed in my block. It is strange that there are windfall taxes on those who dare to meet our demand for oil and gas, and now there are also windfall taxes on renewables if they are too profitable. The aim is always to end up with ever dearer and less competitive energy
     The government also needs to lead thinking on the pace of change and the order of putting in the investments it does help pay for or regulates. If someone goes out and buys an electric vehicle today when they plug it in to recharge the electricity companies will doubtless have to burn some more gas to supply the power as they normally use all the available renewables for existing demand. How does that help us on the road to net zero.? If too many people got an electric car or heat pump there will not be enough grid and street cable capacity to supply their needs. When will the grid catch up? When will more investors be able to connect new wind or solar farms to the grid, where there is a long queue? Shouldn’t we put in the infrastructure first?
     If someone scraps an older petrol car and buys a new electric vehicle how long does it take to offset all the extra CO 2 generated by making the one and scrapping the other? If the driver does a normal mileage many years pass where the impact is more CO 2 from the change, not less. This is aggravated all the time the recharging electricity may have to come from fossil fuels.
     Taxing carbon is said to be the market based solution to these dilemmas. What our regime does is hasten the end of high energy using industries in the UK, speeding more imports and thus boosting not reducing world CO 2 output. The UK has especially high energy prices given the taxes and market regulation, which is wonderful news for our competitors who take a more pragmatic approach to energy pricing. The UK has lost a lot of capacity in aluminium, glass, petrochemicals, fertilisers, steel, ceramics and other similar industries as a result of our lop sided approach to making and using these products. We consume them avidly but moralise about how we must not make them here. Last week saw the sad news that our remaining blast furnaces are under threat of closure. The Opposition scarecely stirred over it. Surely this matters? We used to battle long and hard to invest in and keep a variety of large domestic steel plants as a crucial part of our industrial base.
     Meanwhile the government allows very large number of migrants in to undertake mainly low paid work. Given the importance of national CO 2 accounting to the system why do we not reduce this? Every new person coming in creates extra demand for CO 2 for all the homes, products and jobs they need. Following a low wage model is bad for many reasons as well as the environmental impact. We should aim for a higher real wage higher productivity economy. Better energy efficiency should  be part of the greater emphasis on investment in good machine and computing power to do more of the tasks. If we invite in an additional 600,000 workers every year as we did last year that requires huge outpourings of CO 2 to build the homes, hospitals, roads, sewage works, power stations , schools and the rest they will need, and to run them. We then need bigger cuts in CO 2 elsewhere in energy using activities to hit targets.
     The official government uses the policy wish to get to net zero to override common sense in its advice to Ministers and in the decisions of quangos. This come to suppress other important policy aims like increasing real wages, cutting poverty and promoting prosperity. It is time for a further re think, starting by getting rid of some of those so called net zero policies which mean more world CO 2 and fewer UK jobs.
November 15, 2023
Good morning.
The only reason why the government is backtracking is because the EU has due to German industry pressure. No other reason.
And some people think we have left the EU ?
November 15, 2023
@Mark B As the EU annouced at the end of the WA meetings the UK is now our Colony!
The UK Legislators (its MPâs) donât make the Laws Rules and Regulation that Govern the UK, they canât create amend or repeal anything. Because of this leaderships weakness the UK Parliament has remained a puppet to foreign unelected unaccountable bureaucrats â why are they there?
Then to rub the salt in we still have the corrupt talking shop of the HoL that has no position in a real democracy thinking they have meaning other than a reject shop.
November 16, 2023
Why are they there? Well, it’s a very nice gravy train if you don’t have any particular saleable skills and are prepared to be led by the nose by those at the top who also lack anything we need. Where else can you start on the thick end of 90 grand a year plus expenses and a second home for no qualifications other than an ability to waffle and get chosen by the ‘right’ people and then get elected? And they think junior doctors who have studied, passed exams, worked hard and do something useful should be content with pay in the low 30 grand area.
November 15, 2023
Until someone calls the whole net zero out as a scam it will continue.
It’s a UN/WEF idea to impoverish the West for the benefit I’d the BRICs
Most of the population understands this but it hasn’t reached the Westminster bubble yet.
November 16, 2023
‘Until someone calls the whole net zero out as a scam it will continue’
– Net Zero is something that won’t go away. My niece is a Conservative and ultra capitalist (she wants to make a tonne of money when she leaves university next year – good luck to her) but she is also ultra Green (like 95% of her chums who are all public-school kids, let-alone, grammar-school kids too). So it’s bonkers to think one can change Net Zero. It’s a tidal wave that we ride or sink under – economically. And we can make a tonne of money out of it – or lose out big time.
Lastly, Net Zero is not a complete scam. The truth is we don’t really know whether it is a scam or not. There is certainly SOME truth to it. And it will certainly do our environment more good than harm. But certainly if we jump on the Net-Zero bandwagon in an intelligent way, we can make loads and loads of money out of it for our nation and economy. For the UK.
Lastly, only the oil and gas companies in the West are really opposed to Net Zero. But they’re just being lazy. They too can make a tonne of money out of Net Zero for their UK shareholders if they approached it a bit more entrepreneurially!
November 17, 2023
What a load of nonsense!
November 16, 2023
Nonsense, the BRICS are against the WEF which represents the interests of the western financial oligarchy.
November 15, 2023
Yes, a snake won’t hiss at the big boys, but only at the easy meat.
November 15, 2023
I think JR has in a long winded way accepts Net stupid is a scam that needs to be stopped. He is trying to use their own reasoning to get them to change. Unfortunately his party and govt stopped listening to him about 30 years ago.
Plebgate Mitchell could not hide his excitement following his remain leader into No.10. JR is in a remain socialist party. The one who legislated to waste tens of billions of our taxes to foreign aid where the recipient gets to choose what to spend our money on!! Cameron preferred to appointment former Labour ministers to advisors and czars than former Tory ministers.
Letâs have an election and get rid of this Blaire tribute act.
November 15, 2023
@Mark B; “And some people think we have left the EU ?”
Of course we have left the EU! Tell me, what are the most popular makes of car in the UK, might they be European, most of German origin, BMW, Mercedes, VW group (Audi/Porsche/Skoda/Seat), hence what Europeans want the British get? If we imported our cars from the USA we would likely get much of what the US market has to have or wants, wouldn’t mean we have become the 51st State though…
Also be under no illusion, these days automotive industry nearly always speaks as one, when it comes to regional/worldwide specifications [1], even when it appears to be only one manufacturer or country doing so, given the cross-industry co-operation necessary, for example sharing floor-pans (chassis) and power-trains etc, even sharing assembly facilities, despite the vehicles produced being in direct competition.
If the UK scraped Net-zero, scrapped many a (CO2) emissions regulation, many of the products we buy would still be compliant to those regulations, even if made here, we are not to give up any chance of exporting, unless we add extra production costs here in the UK making two different but outwardly similar products!
[1] The so called “Dieselgate” scandal started in the USA via their EPA, not the EU
November 16, 2023
Times are changing. The Top 5 best selling vehicles in the UK according to SMMT:
1. Ford Puma
2. Nissan Qashqai
3. Vauxhall Corsa
4. Kia Sportage
5. Tesla model Y
The only German car in the top 10 was the Mini Hatch at number 10.
November 16, 2023
Sorry 2 models, the Audi A3 at number 10, and the Mini at number 8 (the car that pretends to be British with our flag on the rear lights.
November 16, 2023
@a-tracy; Oh dear, once again you miss my point whilst getting your own point wrong…
Ford Europe, based in Germany.
Nissan, Long since a French/Japaneses partnership, Renault holding a 43% stake in Nissan.
Vauxhall, once part of the GM family, with European HQ in Germany, being the subordinate brand to Opel (but now all part of the Stellantis corporation, made up of FCA+PSA, with HQ in the Netherlands).
So only two of the makes/brands you cite are not German or European based, in regulatory context meaning R&D, which was the point I was making. Also popularity is not the same as sales, the latter include fleet purchases, cars & vans etc.
November 16, 2023
These ownerships should be made more clear to the British public. I had no idea Ford and Vauxhall were based in Germany, so the profits from Fords sold in the UK are grounded and paid in Germany. How on earth did our government allow this to happen. Thank you for letting me know.
I also wasnât aware that Nissan was owned by the French. Sounds like a proper carve up of the British market.
I donât understand what you mean by popularity I listed the best selling? In the UK British businesses are stuck with in the main French vans and Turkish vans (where they moved Ford production), they are all failing our market with reduced stock, long repair delays, long order dates. The soonest our government open up other world van markets the better.
November 17, 2023
@a-tracy; There are retail sales, company sales, and the total of the two, I suspect you have cited the first, not total sales.
“The soonest our government open up other world van markets the better.”
You are making the assumption there are other makes or models that would be economical to sell here in the UK, most designs would need to be re-engineered to suit the British market, if companies in the Far East can not increase their sales, given such products needs the least harmonization for the UK market (mostly lights and seat belts), what hope say North American products.
Why would, say, the Ford Motor Company want to bother in any case, if they start selling their US made cars and vans in the UK are they not simply reducing sales of their EU and Turkish made products…
November 20, 2023
England isnât the only country that drives on the left. About 35% of the world’s population drive on the left including Japan, Malta, Cyprus, Indonesia, Ireland and most of the old English empire countries: India, Australia, New Zealand, and a number of African countries.
Japan has opened up a good market in the UK. I see lots of Kiaâs now on our roads. Tesla doesnât seem to have a problem making cars for the UK. I trialled a Chinese van, the only reason I didnât buy them was that the load weight wasnât sufficient its about 100kg short (strange because the van body was the same size), it was a great vehicle colleagues enjoyed driving.
7 Feb 2023 â UK new LCV registrations grew to 22,098 units in January, a year-on-year increase of 25.8% (FleetNews). The van market choice is limited and is having problems with supplies and parts.
November 16, 2023
I would not worry about the European car industry as the Chinese are about to steal their lunch. Not only are they further ahead with the development of the electric cars but unlike the Japanese or the Koreans who have built their brands which takes years China is buying brands such as Volvo and MG and bringing their products to market at up to 50% cheaper across the world.
This coupled with the billions of Euros spent on development of electric cars by the major European manufacturers and the fact most are under performing with regards to their targets in some cases by up to a third must it be a major concern to them all.
Electric cars are like domestic white goods and quality comes from new up to date plant and good IT and Ai something China has in spades. Add to this very little in the way of servicing with little to go wrong and it means million of well paid jobs are at risk across Europe, I watch with interest as forcing customers down the electric car route will only hasten the whole process.
Good news for customers but not for large European car producers.
November 15, 2023
Our government hasn’t backtracked anything, only delayed some ….remember Sunaks first policy in office was introduce (any) the fracking shale gas ban ….don’t believe the govt hype, they’re still imposing all their stated net-zero targets, and imposing the same on industry
November 16, 2023
G,
Introduce a ban after saying to get elected he would get fracking. That is the crucial point. You cannot believe a word the backstabbing Snake says. Serve with integrity, so many examples to show even that was a lie.
Is Cameron going to revisit bombing Syria ? It took âRed Edâ to stop him! How stable is Lybia at the moment? Where does mass immigration come from? Perhaps Cameron should try to right his enormous foreign policy failures before going to Ukraine! Who would trust him there! Perhaps he will make it law to give 10% of GDP to foreign aid?
November 15, 2023
We need a much more extensive reappraisal of energy policy. Having seen the failure of the AR5 CFD auction to procure any offshore wind there has been a massive series of failed projects for offshore wind in the USA: some 4.2GW for New York State is at standoff with the State refusing to up prices from $118/MWh to $140-180/MWh that the investors want. A further 2.4GW was cancelled by Ărsted off New Jersey, and 2.4GW more off other New England states. We hear that DESNZ is mooting setting a maximum bid price of around ÂŁ70-75/MWh in 2012 prices, worth ÂŁ100/MWh today: but the evidence from the USA is that this is still inadequate. Wind is no longer a cheap option. Nor does it provide a reliable source of power without substantial and costly backup or storage and rising levels of curtailment that has no value, and it requires massive grid expansion as well. This is a policy designed to make our energy permanently very expensive.
Ed Miliband is wrong. At the moment offshore floating wind from Hywind and Kincardine costs around 4 times market prices including its ROC subsidies. Fixed wind farms on CFDs are averaging around ÂŁ175/MWh, which is ÂŁ100/MWh of average subsidy. Waste output to curtailment and conversion to hydrogen for storage, and you can multiply those prices by 3 to 4 easily by pursuing renewables. It’s time to reappraise where we are going, and recognise that coal is currently competitive and being run, with UKA carbon allowance prices having halved because of falling electricity demand due to high prices. Yet the EU wants to impose a border carbon tax on our electricity exports (which only occur on very windy days) because we are no longer part of the EU ETS scheme.
If we can’t rely on the EU for backup when the wind dies, and we can’t export to them without being taxed to the point where consumers in the UK will pay subsidies to provide wind at negative prices to the EU because of the tax we need to recognise we should run our own dispatchable generation and stop planning on interconnectors and cancelling our gas grid.
November 15, 2023
+1 there really is no alternative to Markâs solution. I donât know why we are discussing subjects on which there can be no division. Indicative of the confusion and rejection of reason in the modern age.
November 15, 2023
+1
November 15, 2023
@Mark +1
Ărsted is also demanding higher subsidies from the UK Taxpayer, the UK taxpayer yet again being asked to take a hit from a foriegn State owned industry. The UK Taxpayer is being blackmailed into paying our Taxes to subsidies another Country. To pay to be held hostage to the whims of foriegn Governments. That according to the twerps in the UK Government is energy security, they have hocked the Country. If the UK Taxpayer has to cough up more of their own money why is it not on things they get to own – of course they canât it is about the UK’s destruction by this Socialist WEF leadership and Government with the acquiescence of a Parliament that refuses its job.
November 15, 2023
Yes, thanks for pointing out yet another idiocy of Brexit.
November 15, 2023
agreed.
November 15, 2023
Sensible observations, Mark. A pity that government doesn’t listen. Maybe Sir John would lead a replacement, gathering support from all those in parliament who put country before party.
November 15, 2023
Mark :
Absolutely correct.
The Renewable Energy Foundation reports that the Moray East windfarm, an Allocation Round 2 project with a CfD price of ÂŁ57.50/MWhr (at 2012 prices now ÂŁ74.49/MWhr at 2023 prices), has been selling its electricity at an average price of ÂŁ234/MWhr well in excess of the ÂŁ168/MWhr made by gas generators in the same period :
https://www.ref.org.uk/ref-blog/377-moray-east-windfarm-the-benefits-of-deferring-cfd-uptake-a-remote-location
This cost, through subsidies, doesnât include the additional costs of grid upgrades to bring the electricity onshore or for the (currently) gas generated backup needed when the wind doesnât blow. So expensive is the backup costs that no (green/renewable) storage plan yet exists in the National Grid ESO Future Energy Scenarios for the decarbonisation date of 2035 or even the Net Zero date of 2050, meaning that it is intended we will be needing to accept supplies of electricity which are not only expensive but also chaotically intermittent.
Offshore wind will only increase in price further as it becomes necessary to move into deeper waters further offshore and use floating technology.
November 16, 2023
When I looked at their accounts for 2022 I found their revenue totalled ÂŁ702m against reported output of 2563.8GWh. That works out somewhat higher, but we have to remember that they are actually getting very significant revenue from curtailment payments which probably apply to at least 25% of their would-be output. THe capacity factor implied by their generation is just 30.8%, which is very low for an offshore windfarm.
November 15, 2023
Fascinating, Mark, thank you.
In February, Starmer said, “Some nation is going to lead the world in off-shore wind. Why not Britain?â In just five short years, “His missions also include making Britain a âclean energy superpower,â with zero-carbon electricity by 2030.” politico.eu.
November 16, 2023
Forecasting world class wind is he? Tell the chaps in Exeter and Shinfield.
November 15, 2023
Solar Photo Voltaic came out cheapest in AR5. For 2025 deals, government reckons CCGTs at ÂŁ114/MWh, dominated by fuel and carbon costs (20/21 prices). The levelized costs of solar is reckoned at ÂŁ41/MWh in 2025, ÂŁ6 less than three years back; a bit less than onshore wind. It reckons Solar PV at ÂŁ30/MWh and CCGTs at ÂŁ165/MWh in 2040. I don’t see the UK getting to 70GW of Solar PV combined with Battery Storage by 2035 at the current pace of builds.
BTW. A 100 kWh of solar PV energy and an electric motor powered vehicle that can do 4 miles to the kWh, will go 320 miles with pure battery storage on board. Alternately, converting that energy to Hydrogen on board then back to electricity in a fuel cell, it will go 150 miles.
Converting that same quantity of energy to a diesel fuel liquid replacement, it will go 83 miles. As a petrol fuel liquid replacement, the vehicle will go just 67 miles. đ
November 15, 2023
Very good and informative post.
If only we had some people in power who are capable of seeing the clear logic in all this. Policy announcements are one thing, enacting legislation to make it happen is quite another.
As we can see from the Rwanda scheme being ruled out by the SC, taken in conjunction with Braverman’s accusations that Sunak ignored her pleas for a Plan B… sometimes policy announcements are not meant to happen, only to soothe the troubles for a while.
And it seems Sunak is doing the same with energy policy – announcing a relaxation of net zero targets as a Conference thing… then doing nothing about any legislative changes to make the announcement actually happen (e.g. fines for car makers selling less than a certain % of EVs vs ICEs are still in place from 2025).
November 15, 2023
There a pattern developing
Inflation under Sunak & Hunt remains high âŠ.but they say donât worry its going down
Immigration under Sunak & Hunt remains high âŠ.but they say donât worry its going down
HS2 under Sunak & Hunt is still great âŠ.but they say donât worry its now half the size
Offshore Wind-Farms under Sunak & Hunt remain on target âŠ.but they say donât worry if capacity increases prices will fall âŠin the future
EVs under Sunak & Hunt remain on target âŠ.but they say donât worry if capacity increases prices will fall âŠin the future
Net-Zero under Sunak & Hunt remain on target âŠ.but they say donât worry if capacity increases prices will fall âŠand we get a gold star from the UN
The next general election under Sunak & Hunt remain on target âŠ.but they say donât worry, Labour are worst then us
November 15, 2023
The price paid to generate electricity by offshore wind farms is set to rise by more than 50% as the government tries to entice energy firms to invest – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67430888
Here’s a cheaper alternative – use coal, shale gas & offshore gas …you idiots
November 15, 2023
“PM must continue his reform of net zero policies” A touch on the brakes is useless, he must ditch net zero completely a full 180 degree U turn. This as a little more CO2 is not a problem anyway it is a net good. But even if you believe in the mad CO2 devil gas religion it make no sense. This as the methods they push to reduce CO2 do not work, cost billions and often just export the CO2, Adaptation to the colder, warmer, wetter or dryer weather whatever and when it occurs is far cheaper and far more effective. This is the sensible way to go. Plus other countries – like China, India, Russia, Americas will, very sensibly, not cooperate anyway.
But our four great offices of state are now occupied by three public schools PPE graduates and one who studied hospitality at some FE college. All of whom seem to suffer from this mad religion and have zero understanding of energy, climate, physics, science, energy economics logic… have any got any Physics or Science beyond O or GCSE level?
So Braverman in her departure letter says “I will, of course, continue to support the government in pursuit of policies which align with an authentic conservative agenda”. So she will not have to give very much support at all then, as Sunak is highly unlikely to do anything with an “authentic conservative agenda”. He seems determined to kick the voters (who gave Boris and the Conservatives their 80 seat majority in the teeth and bury the party with Tory MPs of fewer than 100 at this rate.
November 16, 2023
LL,
Snake Sunakâs record shows he says anything to get elected, ie his leadership campaign which he lost, and then once in power reneges on it or provides promises for the future never intending for it to happen.
November 15, 2023
Net zero policies are pushing up inflation, says a Bank of England rate setter “Climate change policies including carbon taxes and emissions trading schemes risk raising costs for families as companies pass the extra costs on to their customers” said Catherine Mann, a member of the interest rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee.
Well of course they do Ms Mann and have been doing for years, as does the idiotic stance of the BoE/Carney and Gov. to get the banks not to invest in fossil fuel production that provide 90%+ of the UK’s energy needs. So at least one person on their committee has pointed this out – will she be sacked shortly? She might also point out the BoE & Sunak’s QE caused most of the recent inflation by debasing the ÂŁ and not helped by the vast over taxation of energy and almost everything in the UK and the vast net zero energy market rigging.
November 15, 2023
Sir John points out the utter absurdity of it all.
CO2 produced by us for us is a death sentence to one and all, but from elsewhere it somehow miraculously doesn’t threaten the planet at all. Let the imports keep rolling in and let the migrants keep rolling in too.
All I can deduce from this, is that absolutely none of it is to do with saving the planet.
November 15, 2023
You say “The Prime Minister is good at detail so he needs to challenge these absurdities in official policy formation.” Well is he good at detail as in organising the chairs on the Titanic as it steams full speed towards to the iceberg election.
Also ” If someone scraps an older petrol car and buys a new electric vehicle how long does it take to offset all the extra CO 2 generated by making the one and scrapping the other?” It never does it causes more CO2. As it will never do sufficient miles on low CO2 electricity to payback the extra CO2 needed to produce it before it needs a new battery in about 8 years so it written off. EVs are more emissions elsewhere cars. More tyre and road wear too and far more expensive to buy, finance, insure and on depreciation.
November 15, 2023
Plus vast environmental harm in digging up materials for the new car and the (short lived) batteries.
November 15, 2023
It’s good to read yet another very compelling dissection of mistaken government policy, SJR. As you say, the government’s pursuit of net zero collides with other policy goals. But when net zero is the preferred option, how serious is the government about promoting prosperity as a policy goal? One of Sunak’s five priorities was growing the economy and ‘better-paid jobs’. His actual policy of importing cheap labour will keep wages down.
As far as I can see, job opportunities in the much-vaunted green economy are slanted towards such roles as ‘sustainability advisor’ and ‘green economy officer’ in local councils or large corporations. At the same time, as you point out, the net zero mantra is leading to the export of real jobs overseas, such as those in the steel industry.
I do have to wonder if your colleagues on the Conservative benches are capable of understanding what’s happening out in the real world beyond Westminster.
November 15, 2023
âIf we invite in an additional 600,000 workers every year as we did last year âŠâ you think they intend to work JR? Britains reputation is that the incomers are maintained âlike Kingsâ by the slaves (we have investments to maintain and taxes to pay) working here already.
November 16, 2023
Lynne,
1.2 million visas issued. Only estimates for people who leave.
November 15, 2023
“The UK has allowed itself to get hung up on wonky carbon accounting” it sure has. For a start a bit more CO2 is a net good anyway. But even if you did irrationally want to safe CO2 then importing wood (young coal) from America on diesel ships and trucks, drying it and then burning it at Drax makes no sense what so ever. Worse than burning local coal (old wood) in terms of CO2 per MWH of electricity.
November 15, 2023
I have a theory. The Tory remainers are gonna throw the next election to allow Labour back into power who will then take the UK back into the EU. The Europhile uniparty is operating perfectly behind the scenes and still voters are unable to see the deceit of the Tory-Labour bun fight.
On Saturday Sunak played the ‘far-right’ card. When I see a Tory PM or any Tory MP participate in this vile progressive, victim-status scam then it’s evidence of ideological capture. Sunak has no desire or stomach to confront the evil that has now infected the nation ie fascist Left meets religious extremism, an unholy alliance never seen before. This alliance led by Labour and the unions could be in power next year. I genuinely fear for 55m British citizens
November 15, 2023
“Taxing carbon is said to be the market based solution to these dilemmas” – But why tax a net good like a little more CO2 plant, tree, seaweed and crop food – also vital for the 02 we all breath.
Even if you are a deluded “net zero religion believer” it makes no sense as you just export the CO2 production and destroy both UK jobs and the UK economy.
November 15, 2023
I’m not too bothered about this, Starmer will have to scrap each and every target as they get close as some of them are literally unachievable on a technical basis and the rest will be rejected by voters who suddenly realise how much they personally are going to have to pay to meet them.
November 16, 2023
My thoughts too, Roy. It’s all sandcastles waiting for the tide to come in .
November 15, 2023
As Sunak has demonstrated by sacking Braverman and appointing failed PM Cameron as Foreign Secretary, he doesn’t give a 4X about Conservative, let alone conservative, voters. He isn’t going to upset the BBC, metropolitan and “Tory Shire” LibDems by walking away from the Eco Lunacy. It’s so much better for him personally to abandon working class conservative voters in the Red Wall (and elsewhere).
Anti-democrat Heseltine was crowing in the DT yesterday that the left-wing Tory Party is back. That tells us all we need to know.
November 16, 2023
Plus many. Plebgate Mitchell could not contain his excitement, nor treacherous May.
November 15, 2023
The action required on Net Zero by a rational government is simple:
– repeal all the Climate Change acts and subsequent statuary instruments, including car, boiler and other targets
– kill off the Climate Change Committee
– implement an immediate start to the SMR reactor programme
– make a planning condition that any wind or solar project is only approved if it can demonstrably meet a 95% guarantee of electricity supply
– convert Drax back to burning coal locally sourced from the coalfield that it sits on
– implement UK grown food production targets
This will go some way to reversing the disastrous outcomes of Milliband and May’s lunatic Climat acts.
November 15, 2023
Sir John
“The PM must continue his reform of net zero policies” – with respect to you, the Man doesnât have policies that are intended to be followed up with actions. He has soundbites, media parades and international dalliances. All noise.
If he can find a way to export UK Jobs he will, if he can find a way to reward foreign entities with UK taxpayer money he will â especially to those where there is no reciprocal arrangements.
The Man is a UK wrecking ball, he has wreaked the UK economy, he has overseen the largest tax punishment in 70 years, he has overseen the largest State growth and expenditure for no return in generations. This Man and those he has around him are a total liability to the people of this Country, they have maliciously set out to damage the people and the Countries ability to respond, they have destroyed the center ground of UK politics by moving to the Left of Labour
November 15, 2023
The man has now not just damaged the Conservatives of the Country, he has embedded the Left in every corner and bowed down to the Left Cabal some of us call the Collective âBlobâ. Besides destruction what has he achieved â nothing.
Donât let todays fall in inflation fool you. He caused it to rise and now the natural cycle has played in to rebalance.
November 15, 2023
How right you are Sir John. Yet wht did Tories pass net zero into law? Who was pulling their strings?and still are?
November 15, 2023
As you point out, the UK’s energy policy is calculated on wonky numbers. This ensures the UK’s continued descent to industrial and national irrelevance not to mention poverty. The political class is beyond redemption.
November 15, 2023
You have just described the most insane energy policy ever to be imagined. Every single aspect is a contradiction and at the heart of it is the risible idea that CO2 emissions cause global warming.
November 15, 2023
Sir John why do you say UK policy. It is Government Policy. A Conservative Government Policy which has been in power for sometime now with a large majority. No excuses please.
But your suggestions, which most would find no fault in, except the Government.
But there is hope as you mention Common Sense. I guess the PM will now pass your suggestions to the “Ministry for Common Sense” to implement.
(I am not sure if we are now in 1984 or a Monty Python show}
November 15, 2023
Too many policies are just tinkering around the edges, net Zero being just one of them.
The Government needs to get real, and stop living in the fantasy land that they are trying to create at our expense.
November 15, 2023
As pointed out, the government policy is often dumb. I wonder who has been in power for the past thirteen years. The fundamental issue is indeed that the carbon emission accounting is incorrect, we are just getting other countries to emit on our behalf. The only real solution is to have a global agreement, including proper accounting, something which the article completely ignores. Does the author believe that climate change is real, or does he believe it is a hoax? Full marks, though, for coming up with yet another reason for the Tories to hate migrants.
November 15, 2023
There are a variety of climate change observers/sceptics who have noticed over the course of just the past few months that the supposed green energy transition â widely hyped and massively subsidised for two decades â has suddenly started to crumble on multiple fronts. We are rapidly approaching the green energy wall. And yet at the same time, the promoters of the climate scare are not backing down. Not in the least. To the contrary, the New York Times reports just today that the major environmental NGOs are in a process of cutting their funding for their most basic programmes, like dealing with toxic chemicals, in order to double down and focus even more on the one big issue â climate change. Europe is back tracking as reality hits, but for some reason, Britain is not as much!
Mark B could be right, our very recent backtracking could well be us following the EU’s lead. Let’s hope it’s for the reason, that it’s clearly unpopular and unrealistic and leaving us poorer as a nation. Global Warming Policy Foundation have been warning the government of the net zero implications…
It is vital that the west wakes up to what net zero is doing to us, whilst doing nothing to the environment or climate, especially now, when we are wobbling in the west with the rest of the world arranging their caravans for a new world order!
Together Declaration and The Mail are highlighting how multi billionaires are funding and influencing globally, and promoting climate change. I feel another conspiracy theory is about to be proved correct!
November 15, 2023
Further watering down of the Government’s net zero targets will not bring in any more votes; numerous polls have confirmed that a large majority of Conservative voters support the net zero commitments. This faction is appalled at the governments decision to issue new N Sea licences for oil extraction and killing off N Sea windfarm development
The pressure on net zero comes from a small section of the parliamentary party who have invested in buy-to-let properties. This element does not wish to upgrade their properties to the necessary standard – and by refusing to do so they have lost the renters’ votes. Plus Govey’s refusal to repeal the “no fault eviction” provisions.
If the party is to have any chance of closing the gap on Labour and winning the Jan 2025 general election, it needs to get real over this issue, ignore the fossil fuel lobby and regain our position as the world leader in renewable energy. Labour’s Green Plan has clearly impressed the large proportion of the electorate who want change
November 16, 2023
What is killing off wind farm development globally is the realisation that it is high cost. The public have been given a false prospectus by politicians, quangos and their consultants and the media. I’m sure opinion polls would reflect the false propaganda that wind is cheap. It isn’t, and trying to use it as the base for our energy supply is utter folly because the costs escalate very sharply once average renewables supply goes above about 60% of average demand so that curtailment grows rapidly and the need for extra grid capacity, doubling what was previously needed, becomes urgent. A full backup must be maintained, and if net zero policy insists that cannot be from natural gas the costs of that become stratospheric and likely inadequate, leading to blackouts and enforced demand reduction that kills the economy and kills people who cannot tolerate high prices and cold homes. The government has no wish to kill off wind farm development – the reverse remains the policy – i.e. over-reliance on wind. The policy needs to change: see my earlier post.
November 16, 2023
This is absolute rubbish – and i can’t be bothered to repeat the many factual posts that i’ve made here that proves it
November 16, 2023
Yes, SG, a large majority of Conservative voters support net zero… until they’re asked what restrictions and extra costs they personally are happy with. Then it’s a different story. As with religious movements generally, saying you believe in the faith is one thing. Following its teachings in how you live in practice is quite another. Here I think is what we are quietly hearing from the Conservative party at prayer:
“Dear God (or Gaia), let me save the planet. But not yet.”
November 16, 2023
If the Government removed the massive subsidies for so-called green energy and made people pay the true cost up front, the “greenwashed” people would soon wake up to how ridiculous, unreliable/intermittent and expensive it is.
November 16, 2023
Extracting our own oil is a different subject to Net Zero overall.
We want to extract our own oil ’cause we need more oil short-term and good for our economy to extract our own.
But weaning ourselves of oil (importing oil from abroad – and from dodgy countries) long-term is another matter.
So let’s support extraction of our own oil including fracking but working long-term over Net Zero not so much for ethical reasons but ’cause Net Zero is a tidal wave we can’t resit but rather need to surf in order to make as much money from it as possible!
November 15, 2023
UK inflation hits 4.6%, 2years on from the semantics of the BoE flexing its muscles and playing politics. It has nothing to do with this PM he is still increasing uncontrollably the State sector without delivering a result. UK Wage inflation hits 7.7% because of all the extra money and growth created in the Civil Service that has failed to deliver.
The Boats keep coming, the NHS canât deliver, our energy and security is still in the hands of foreign Government whims, our economy to pay all these foreign Governments is trashed.
But, the PM can make another speech, issue another soundbite, and muster more virtue signaling. Our streets are still terrorized, everything is permitted as long as it has antisemitism at its core. I am not Jewish, I donât know any jews, but there is clearly one law for one odd ball sector, they can do anything, and another law for the Jewish people.
November 15, 2023
test yet again
November 16, 2023
Well I for one certainly find you testing!
November 16, 2023
Go vote Reform then – and let Labour in to marginal seats
November 15, 2023
All very sensible stuff from John as ever. I just hope he and a few others finally accept the scientific truth. The World is a much more comfortable place to live thanks to fossil fuels and the emission of CO2 they provide.
The planet is greener we are able to allow forrests to grow rather than chopping them down for fuel crops are healthy and at record levels of production while using ever less land to produce what the World needs in the way of food production.
Increasing CO2 is a net positive, it does not cause wilder weather as the BBC continues to suggest, it does not cause sea levels to rise as the Guardian tries to suggest and there in no correlation whatsoever between CO2 and climate change, none.
The average world temperature which is checked by over 60,000 weather stations every two minutes of every day is 14.1 deg. C. The world is in a cold phase and it is getting colder. We need all the energy options we can secure to make life comfortable because by the middle of the century it will be even colder than today!
November 15, 2023
Frankly I have given up on Rishi and the government he runs from gods waiting room. I do not know whose side he is playing for , with certaInty it is not the people of the UK. In mitigation, pillow talk Boris is responsible for the Nett Zero fiasco. Suella has spelt it out in capitals, there is no mitigation.
November 16, 2023
Then add on to Johnsonâs account:
A. multiple lockdowns,
B. unequalled surge in State Spending and employment
C. the actual cessation of the private enterprise economy (only the Corporates continued trading because a big shop with thousands of people through the door is safer than a small shop with a hundred)
D. the scuppering of the Peace Treaty between Zelensky and Russia
E. Etc ed
Iâm amazed that he is not in the Lords and back in Downing Street! Maybe tomorrow!
November 15, 2023
Sir J,
Your government reviewed and cancelled HS2, after receiving lots of advice, why not do the same for the uncosted, (is that even allowed under Treasury rules?) improperly considered Net Zero policy? The tide is turning on this, don’t let’s waste even more money before finding out we’re looking at the wrong cause.
November 16, 2023
They cancelled HS2? When did that happen? Or did you mean cancelling the final northern routes?
November 15, 2023
Sir JR you give a good explanation of the folly of this appalling Governments ‘net zero’ madness. Unfortunately they seem unable to comprehend the facts. Preferring to listen to the wailings of a silly girl.
November 15, 2023
Certainly Mr. Sunak “announced a new realism concerning the road to net zero” but in light of the Braverman disclosures about his true commitment to “stopping the boats” should we not cry out with all our might “We don’t believe you!”?
November 15, 2023
We have recently seen the humiliations usually associated with ancient and bloody victory in war.
Totally taken over, subsumed by alien culture at the heart of our ( sorry! Wrong word) country.
So we know we have more to come. Like cold, poverty and invasion.
Who flew that noisy private ( apparently) helicopter over the Cenotaph during the silence?
Eh?
The EDL*?
* no such thing any moreâŠflattened by fake opposition assets.
November 15, 2023
Your articles are all excellent. I agree heartily with most of what you say (but regrettably not blind, uncritical acceptance of the effect of CO2 levels on the climate and ‘man-made’ climate change).
BUT what can be done to challenge all that is happening now? The only remaining hope is Reform, since so-called Conservative MPs are complicit in this by their inactivity.
November 16, 2023
Reform can change nothing from Parliament Square. We must have votes in the House. Return the people you want as Tory and Labour MPs.
The real cheek of Sunak appointing a person to the Cabinet who is not in the House is the fact that the âcattle on the premisesâ are the choice of those who make up the shortlist in Central Office. They wanted rubbish, they have rubbish, they have to work with that rubbish!
November 15, 2023
All sound ideas, but I doubt very much anything like that will be taken up by Sunak, for he is a tinkerer , he fiddles at the edges, he is a clerk, he isn’t a Prime Minister who has ambitions for our country.
November 15, 2023
Given up trying to reform the crazy anti car driver measures though haven’t they.
The anti car driver measures get ever more stupid every single day.
There is no support for this nonsense amongst the ordinary decent people.
November 15, 2023
O/T – inflation falls materially, as you predicted.
(Being cash long, I remain grateful for the Bank of Enlgand’s policy errors.)
November 15, 2023
The PM’s pledges and intentions are worth nothing, as evidenced by the Home Secretary’s resignation letter.
WE should stop expecting the PM and HMG to work for our interests because it is so clear that is not their intention. It’s not that they have failed, they have been most successful in doing what they wanted to do.
The time for pleading with the PM to do the right things has well passed, with no real indication that he will do the right things, unless forced to do so.
The drama and opera will continue to distract us all from the treachery still unfolding.
November 16, 2023
No they will be force, and much drama.
November 15, 2023
Everything you say makes sense so there must be an ulterior motive for damaging the UK with these absurd net zero policies. The volcanoes erupting this week will release more CO2 than we can ever hope to reduce so itâs all in vain anyway. Better to throw our money at new scientific innovation rather than banning what people want. If a superior product is produced people will want to buy it. We hear this week that plans are afoot to cover vast areas of the south of England with solar panels which will further reduce our food supply and result in even more imports.
November 15, 2023
A simple comment from myself. The idiocy of this current government is driving myself and many others away from the Conservative Party. Global warming and cooling has nothing to do with the burning of fossil fuels. Many eminent climatologists have produced factual evidence to demonstrate this. Our government is meant to lead the way to zero carbon in order to encourage others to follow. It is leading the way but to destitution. Meanwhile China and India are laughing at us, all the way to the bank and world dominance.
November 15, 2023
The PMâs road to Net Zero is pot-holed and he plods with a heavy limp trying to bear the burden of uselessness. Why carry his dead weight hoping to persuade him to do something sensible?
Drop him and go toward a better place with a capable leader.
Better still Vote Reform and bring in MPs who support our countryâs interest with freedom.
November 15, 2023
I see the EU has approved the introduction of Digital IDs across all member states and it will be mandatory to have them in place within two years. I expect the UK will follow suit. Also, the EU wants to get rid of voting rights and place decision-making in the hands of the five unelected presidents. What a recipe for dictatorial abuse to thrive. This control will enable this entity to decide what you can buy, if you can travel, if you will be allowed medical treatment, and much more. I think all the noise in the media is just a smokescreen for what they are introducing as no one seems to be noticing or giving this any airtime.
November 16, 2023
Yes, we are being subjected to a distraction strategy.
Sunak claims he wants to change the country for the long term. The puppet is delivering The Great Reset for his Masters at Davos and is putting in place the Authoritarian Surveillance State they want.
November 15, 2023
The title talk of “reform of net zero policies”, but the announcement of policy – or even of policy change – is not fooling anyone any more. It needs action, not words.
The fines on car producers for selling too many ICE cars are still in place, despite the announcement by Sunak around conference time. No action, nothing in the King’s speech – just the usual words frm the Conservative leadership, hoping people won’t notice that they haven’t actually enacted (or repealed / amended) anything in terms of legislation/regulation.
A list of “needs to” gets a little old. In reality, they don’t “need” to do anything – they can steer the same course to electoral oblivion if they wish, taking the good ship GB down with them. That now seems inevitable and the leadership seem happy to accept that fate. I wonder if the rest of the parliamentary party has given up as well – Sunak is still there, the clock is ticking… 13 months (maximum) to go and counting.
November 15, 2023
Can and will Sunak survive ? . Climate control and the extent to which todays focus on this matter can overshadow his role today will not push his problem under the carpet . Xi’s visit to the USA will determine much more in world affairs than any climate decision made in 10 Downing Street . The dignity and trust that we all expect from our leaders has now reached a fragile state and I doubt that anything can emerge to restore confidence .
November 15, 2023
The PM hasnât reformed, altered or cancelled any net-zero policy, heâs only delayed some schedules
November 16, 2023
he’s trying to appease critics?
November 15, 2023
Smoke and mirrors. His promises meaningless. What he needs to do is resign. He cannot be trusted. Bravermanâs letter exposes in raw detail what we all suspected and his colleagues know, choosing to stay quiet to keep their jobs.
And finally found out on illegal boats, trimmed and trimmed pushing it back hoping something would turn up not having the balls to confront.
I am looking forward to hearing an empty ineffective Plan B spun like all the other so called initiatives.
November 15, 2023
Sir John,
It is unfortunately brutally simple – you have too many innumerate MPs on the Conservative Benches for them to take any notice of you… And with Lord Cameron as the leader-designate in the eyes of the pro EU faction (wait for the letters, sooner than later), I can’t see anything changing.
November 15, 2023
Its time to leave the ECHRs, the UN and disband the Supreme Court âŠ.and do the will of the people
November 16, 2023
spot on.
November 15, 2023
We can see this shabby weak PM seeking to blame his former Home Secretary for carrying out his wishes â while all the while he refuses our Parliament the right to be the UKâs legislators. Promises promises, promises, but zero action.
All Free Sovereign Democracies have their own democratically elected legislators that make, amend and appeal the Laws, Rules, and Regulations that govern their Country. Proving the UK Parliament has no purpose.
The ECHR has no legitimacy in a Democracy – that is why no free democratic country in the World entertains them.
November 15, 2023
Tne comprehensive demolition job on the Rwanda scheme this morning by the judges of the Supreme Court seem to close off almost any chance of the policy ever being successful. For what it’s worth, and listening to the full judgement, I consider that they were right in their decision. There might just be a slight glimmer of a solution if our government can come up with a cast-iron solution to prevent failed applicants being sent back to their country of origin. However, this seems unlikely to be able to satisfy the concernd of the court.
At least the court has not disputed the right of the government to send potential asylum seekers aborad for processing. The only realistic way forward looks like trying to find another country willing to enter into an agreement with the UK but it would have to be one that, unlike Rwanda, is one that has a squeeky-clean record.
I fear that it will not be possible to get a scheme up and running before the general election so this looks like one of Sunak’s promises he can’t deliver on.
If this afternoon, Suella releases the text of the agreement Sunak reached with her, that will really make his day !
November 15, 2023
So it will have to be Ascension Island then:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2023/09/17/the-five-targets-for-government/#comment-1410025
“For years I have been saying that we should put a refugee holding camp â not a prison â on Ascension Island, which is our sovereign territory, and the pathetic excuses out forward by the Foreign Office confirm my belief that they do not want to solve this problem except by some kind of submission to their beloved EU …”
November 15, 2023
My energy company has at last stopped trying to make me get a smart meter. Until six months ago it was ringing me up or emailing me about three times a week, saying things that are not true (“Your meter has reached the end of its life / is illegal”) and making threats. But it seems now to have given up. This is no thanks to the government. The government was the cause of all these calls in the first place.
November 16, 2023
No, they haven’t given up. They’re waiting for the Energy Act to be implemented when they will have the legal power to forcibly enter your home and install one – and you will be prosecuted and possibly jailed if you resist.
This from a so-called Conservative Government which claims to believe in individual choice.
November 15, 2023
Prediction: Rishi will call a referendum on repealing the European Human Rights Laws, which he will claim are the reason we cannot deal with immigration (ignoring the reality that they have done lots of stuff to keep the floodgates open). The liberal lefty class will push lots of pro-immigration, pro-European Human Rights Laws propaganda down our thoats, probably factually wrong leaflets through every letterbox in the country.
Eventually the political class with lose the referendum. They will then proceed to delay implementing the result in parliament.
And so it does on, mass out of control illegal and legal immigration. Despite the will of the people. Just like Brexit.
And the countries elite will continue to do whatever it wants, despite the obvious will of the people on so many issues. And any politician rocking the boat of the liberal lefty consensus running the country will be forced out of office.
November 15, 2023
‘It is bizarre that car companies making and selling vehicles here will be fined if they sell too many diesel and petrol cars at a time when electric cars are unpopular with the general public.’
To paraphrase Ronald Reagan: Companies don’t pay fines. People pay fines.
‘If too many people got an electric car or heat pump there will not be enough grid and street cable capacity to supply their needs… Shouldnât we put in the infrastructure first?’
No, because that assumes the Government has backed the right nag in betting on electrification.âIf demand increases, without subsidy, then the electricity suppliers will happily invest more to keep up.âAssuming they can be confident a ‘one off’, ‘temporary’ wealth tax won’t nab their hard-earned.
November 15, 2023
Our energy policy is madness & how thick are the majority of MPs who vote for it? We urgently need a dose of realism in the Conservative Party & a decision to scrap the Net Zero Target, which will never be achieved.
Your article is right, as many previous ones have been, but this PM is a weak waffler who simply does not take advice unless it agrees with what he already believes.
Sunak, Hunt & Cameron will destroy the Conservative Party, which Cameron set out to do when he became leader.
Now he is back to finish the job.
November 15, 2023
âThe New Conservativesâ
Brilliant!
November 15, 2023
I wish someone would explain how the UK wholesale market operates. From what I can see the wholesale price for electricity is a variable which has been as high as ÂŁ360 per mgw but is floating at ÂŁ90 at present. One presumes the producers make a profit at this price and that this includes the carbon tax imposed on gas, oil and coal.
Now we have the wind farms and no contracts going forward from AR5 because the Government has set a maximum strike price IRO ÂŁ44. This seems to bear no relationship to the wholesale price. What is it? Is it the subsidy that the government will give for every mgw produced? Does this mean we are effectively paying ÂŁ133 per mgw for offshore wind?
For a market that professes to be market-driven it seems to be highly distorted to me to the detriment of the consumer and a competitive economy.
So Offshore wind gets a subsidy and fossil fuels get taxed to ensure that we achieve Net Zero but we go bankrupt in the process.
Our energy consumption per capita is one of the lowest in any developed economy and this is trumpeted as a positive. In reality this is an economic catastrophe as it indicates our comparative decline.
November 15, 2023
PMQs Sunak making out as though he won the supreme court judgement ! unbelieveable
November 15, 2023
The lunacy of mass uncontrolled immigration could be stopped tomorrow.
The lunacy of net zero could be stopped tomorrow.
You just don’t want to.
The trouble is the other lot would be just as bad if not worse.
There are very dark times ahead.
November 15, 2023
‘Chinaâs Green Revolution Is Quietly Succeeding’ – WALL STREET JOURNAL (2023)
November 16, 2023
They are burning more coal than ever while tying the West in knots by becoming the dominant supplier of solar panels and wind turbine parts, taking advantage of their cheap energy. Perhaps the article is referring to improved agriculture?
November 16, 2023
Doesn’t make sense. For the Chinese to be dominant enough in Green Energy like this means that they are generating lots of green energy. Why would they therefore be obsessed by coal (at least for the long-term)? They’re obsessed by coal now ’cause they need the energy short-term but long-term, they’re going to go Green Energy as its already been a relative success for them thus far (plus they can’t rely on coal long-term)! And they plan to make a tonne of Green Energy and Technology in the future (and good luck to them but we should be competing with them not moaning about the situation).
The only people who are really opposed to Net Zero are the oil and gas companies in the West (I’m NOT against the oil and gas companies. I support them. But not a 100%. They need to do less moaning and more figuring out how to benefit their shareholders from Net Zero in the future. Again, I don’t support Net Zero for ethical reasons but more for realistic and business reasons. Net Zero is a tidal wave that we ride or sink under. If we ride it then we can make a tonne of $$$$$$$$ or pounds as a nation.
Best.
November 16, 2023
Again: ‘Supplying the goods and services to enable the global net-zero transition could be worth ÂŁ1 trillion to UK businesses by 2030â â MCKINSEY
Now this might be complete codswallop – or not. I don’t know. But we should, at least, be having a proper debate in Parliament about claims such as this. And if true, to figure out, properly, how to best help our people in business to make the most of Net Zero for our nation and its economy.
November 16, 2023
Fine but let’s have that ARGUMENT in Parliament. Let’s have a JUICY DEBATE about how we’re can make as much money as possible from Net Zero (creating the tech and energy and exporting abroad etc) for the benefit of our economy and country overall.
(Maybe Parl is having that juicy debate but if so not hearing it – it’s not being reported in the media – it’s not exciting people enough when it SHOULD!)
November 15, 2023
‘Net Zero Is Still Possible, but Clean Energy Spending Must Go Faster – Technologies available today deliver more than 80% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030, IEA says – WALL STREET JOURNAL (2023)
November 15, 2023
‘BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES in the shift to a climate-aligned economy’ – DELOITTE / WALL STREET JOURNAL
November 15, 2023
‘Supplying the goods and services to enable the global net-zero transition could be worth ÂŁ1 trillion to UK businesses by 2030’ – MCKINSEY
November 15, 2023
‘Net Zeroâ Will Make Wall Street Richer at Main Streetâs Expense’ – WALL STREET JOURNAL
November 15, 2023
Well now we have it from the Supreme Court, Rwanda is not legal because the fate of failed assylum seekers is not set in stone, in that they could get returned to the country from which they fled. If they are economic migrants no problem but if they have political baggage they could be in trouble.
Solution.
Uk government to set up assylum application offices in France, Begium, and Holland. Those that pass get a boat ticket to cross the Channel, those that fail do not.
Anyone arriving illegally by whatever means is arrested and held with no recourse to claim assylum or enjoy legal aid to do so. They are then given two options. Return to a country of origin or be shipped to a military run detention centre on Ascention Island or West Falkland where they can be kept occupied building roads and other useful facilities. After one year they could be given the option of returning whence they came or continue working. This would break the p
eople trafficers business plan. If further law is necessary, enact it.
Consider abolishing the Supreme Court, a Blair weaze, and revert to Parliamenf being the creator of law and the supreme authority.
November 15, 2023
Net Zero is literally impossible. Ditch it. Cut taxes. Send dinghy invaders back to France, by force if necessary.
Not too difficult to work out is it? But it seems to be beyond Rishi Sunak. Whyever was he elected prime minister? Oh yes…
November 15, 2023
âJames Cleverly suggests government will not leave ECHR for ‘political gain’â
The concept of the ECHR is un-fathomable in a Free Democracy, if the people, the electorate canât create, change or get rid of Laws via the ballot box, their elected legislators or through their democratically elected representatives (MPâs) â what is the point of Parliament. What is the point of calling the Country a Democracy when it is ruled by the unelected, unaccountable in foreign lands â thatâs worse than a Dictatorship, its the worst type of Colonialization. And, it is this Conservative Government that has raised the White Flag and surrendered the Nation.
It has nothing to do with Human Rights Laws, afterall we have empowered and paid our Parliament, this Conservative Government to in act on our behalf and create the civilised Laws, that ensure everyoneâs rights, not to ensure one sector has more rights than another. This Conservative Government has said loud and clear they ‘CANT’ change because their unelected, unaccountable masters wont let them take charge.
Traitors, all of them
What we have in the UK something that is more extreme than Putinâs Russia, or Xi Jinping China, they are at least in charge and can change things. What this Conservative Government keeps demonstrating is that the UK is not a Free Democracy
November 15, 2023
Also today – David Cameron – ‘Stopping the boats is priority for British people’ – Just as it was for him and his subsequent follow-on PMâs for the Last 14 Years and they still refuse, nay deny, deny they are part of a Democracy and seem to think the people donât expect a Government to Govern. The people donât expect their Parliament to be the sole arbiter of the Laws, Rules and Regulations that pertain to how we get to live inside what is left of our Country.
We are burdened with these diehard WEF Socialist that refuse their jobs so they get to aid the Worlds Great âRe-setâ. They are not recognising that the rest of the World is not part of this crusade. They are not recognising that the Free Democracies of the World are just that Free Democracies â not perfect but they are what the people, the electorate make them.
November 15, 2023
A fantastic article Sir John.
Pity your party will take no notice of it, and neither will the incoming Labour government.
The political class will not learn until it all collapses around them. Sometimes I think that “just stopping oil” would be a good exercise. Stop all oil and gas for a couple of weeks and see what happens. That would certainly be a valuable learning experience for our country (should we survive it).
November 15, 2023
4pm today and I’ve just received yet another text inviting me to get a ‘smart-meter’
SirJ while India are set to increase coal production by 65% next year and China 200% …billions of tonnes ….I don’t want a smart-meter nor a heat-pump nor an EV or for my taxes to increase to fund wind-farms
November 15, 2023
source – https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/
November 15, 2023
Renault are intending to set up another company, Ampere, to take on their EV manufacturing. Once the market has decided that EVs are not a patch on ICE vehicles and the deluded politicians’ house of cards collapses, Renault will still have a business.
November 15, 2023
Sir, John, if youâre puzzled by the Governmentâs policies Iâm afraid youâre not understanding the UN driven policies of âEquityâ, âDiversityâ and âInclusionâ it is now pursuing.
Equity means redistribution and equality of outcome and Net Zero, which has absolutely nothing to do with anthropogenic (or natural) emissions of CO2, is designed to destroy the Westâs economies through the impossible transition to expensive, unreliable and chaotically intermittent renewables. If anthropogenic CO2 was causing runaway global warming nuclear energy would have been selected as our energy source. Net Zero is intended to reduce and hence equalise our economy and living standards with the third world.
Diversity, which cancels meritocracy, applies to everything but diversity of thought and at the UNâs request Mr. May signed us up to the UNâs Global Compact for Migration to maximise our diversity and cause third world instability.
Inclusion means ensuring there is a safe space for everyone and no-one can be offended. This means that there can be no freedom of speech. This is the purpose of the Online Harms Bill and Ofcom.
November 15, 2023
Net Zero is a total wave that no Conservative will be able to resist.
So you ride this wave – or drown in it …
(My niece who is 21 years old – and a Conservative voter who wants to make a tonne of money when she leaves university is like ultra pro Green – like 95% of her friends – and all from public schools. So this is what older Tories are up against …).
And to ride this wave means there is a tonne of money to be made out of developing and investing in Green Energy High Technology and everything connected to (HUGE potential).
Another way of looking at it is like those dinosaurs in the USA who wanted to hang on to their big, gas-guzzling cars. They lost that battle fairly drastically and quickly. Same with those who try and oppose Net Zero. Not about embracing its values but the amount of $$$$$$$$$$$$ to be made out of it …
November 15, 2023
This whole CAGW is a scam based upon ignoring the plentiful scientific evidence for past Minoan, Roman and Medieval warm periods and the Little Ice Age by using only unreliable tree ring data as a proxy for temperature. There is no worsening weather as shown by the IPCC WG1âs own Table 12.12 on p1586. There is no global warming caused by increasing levels of CO2 (natural or anthropogenic) because of IR saturation. Happer & Wijngaardenâs calculations on the real atmosphere, including water vapour (omitted in the IPCC models), fit perfectly with the measured data above the equator and at Mediterranean latitudes and fit so well that they even show correctly that CO2 COOLS rather than warms above Antarctica.
In this video Professor Happer explains how he and Professor Wijngaarden solved the transfer equation, originally an equation developed by astrophysics to solve how radiation in the centre of a star got out to the surface and then into space:
https://youtu.be/CA8elCE75ns
November 15, 2023
The Chinese government, that is the Chinese Communist Party, have welcomed Cameron’s appointment.
November 15, 2023
With his knee-jerk public statement this afternoon, Sunak basically confirmed that Braverman was telling the truth. He had no Plan B if the Supreme Court rejected the Rwanda Plan.
Once again, he’s promising action in the future. “Oh the wonders he will do” ….. but not today, not tomorrow, not next week and probably not even next year. His “emergency legislation” will have to go through the Commons and Lords and will then get challenged in the courts …… which will take another year.
He’s hopeless; less useful than a chocolate teapot.
November 15, 2023
Does anyone believe in Sunak’s “emergency legislation” gambit?
Braverman showed that he refused to entertain a Plan B, but now he wants people to believe that he can start it now and get it done any time soon? Nah.
The legal battle will presumably restart from scratch, which is exactly what he must have wanted when he refused to prevent this precise outcome when he had the chance. Slippery, but not slippery enough – we’ve had 13 years of learning to see him and his kind for what they are.
November 15, 2023
On Monday India announced plans to increase Indiaâs coal production to 1.404 bn tonnes by 2027 and possibly to 1.577 bn tonnes by 2030.
In April 2021 President Xi of China âpledgedâ to strictly control coal-fired power generation plants in China. Since then permits for new coal power plants have soared. In the two years before the pledge the Chinese Government approved 127 plants to be built capable of producing 54 GW of power. In the two years after, that number rose to 182 plants with 131 GW of power, doubling the new capacity.
The UN has nothing to say and in fact âclimate actionâ is only #13 on the UNâs list of Sustainable Development Goals.
It is quite clear that China and India do not believe the false CAGW alarmist narrative and, unlike the Western democracies, have no intention of destroying their economies pursuing the impossible Net Zero nightmare by transitioning their energy to expensive, unreliable and chaotically intermittent renewables with no storage back-up.
It is ironic that whilst the Chinese government intends to improve the standards of living of its people, here in the UK our government wishes to trash our economy and lead us down a path to the rationing of energy, food, heating and transport all to reduce our 1% contribution to global CO2 emissions.
November 16, 2023
And Russia and Iran (and Central Asia) are building more and more infrastructure to send more and more of their abundant resources east.
November 15, 2023
While this tumult is going on in this country in just fifteen days, unless by some miracle Sunak objects in writing beforehand, the changes in the 2005 International Health Regulations managed by the WHO come into force and we will cease to be a free people. What are you going to do about this?
November 16, 2023
Iago: I think we can add this to Glen C’s comment today ! ( Near the top ) ” There is a pattern developing” – because we’ve already more or less been told ‘ Don’t worry ‘
At the risk of being a bore, as I’ve brought up this before, if you look for example at a now closed Petition to Parliament number 635904 calling for action, you can read the UKG’s quite lengthy response, the original & the updated. Two statements within, show (1) ” We support targeted IHR amendments to ensure a suitable global framework to respond to international spread of disease. Parliament may scrutinise legislation relating to amendments accepted by the UK ” – and (2) ” In all circumstances the sovereignty of the UK Parliament would remain unchanged and the UK would remain in control of any future domestic decisions about national public health measures” Also FYI – the Facts4eu website have been doing a series about this subject very recently.
It is still concerning many people & little appears to be forthcoming from where it should be coming from.
November 15, 2023
When Sunak was asked to support the strategic need for us to make raw steel in PMQs , he didn’t , he said that he would ensure we made green steel. So our steel making capacity has been sacrificed on the zealots altar of Net Zero.
November 16, 2023
Green steel? Introduce a dye? Back to Bessemer and add the dye at the end?
Fascinating.
November 15, 2023
Dom Cummings interview which went live today on YouTube is broadly correct, the analysis of the problems in the way the British state is run are spot on.
November 16, 2023
âChinaâs oil demand peaks by 2027 and thereafter [will turn] to a long-term decline as the country actively pursues energy transition ⊠and as the general economic growth slows down in the longer term,â – Wood Mackenzie (part of Veritas Capita – New Yorkâbased private-equity firm)
November 16, 2023
‘The vast amount of investment needed to advance the energy transition and build a sustainable economy makes green bonds increasingly important … green bonds have become an opportunity for investors to potentially generate positive returns, but with the goal of making a positive environmental impact. With rapid market expansion and the widening range of mutual funds offering exposure to green bonds, investors can use them to replace a portion of the conventional bonds in their fixed income allocation’ – GOLDMAN SACHS
Point here (and with all other quotes quoted from the financial sector) The City / Financial Sector is embracing Net Zero – as well as businesses in general – people in advertising, branding and marketing – the press – PR – young-Conservative voters etc – China and so on …
So Net Zero is a TIDAL WAVE not going to go away but rather something we have to ride if we’re going to make lots of money out of it. What is the government’s policy towards this? Instead of just trying to stop the tidal wave with, metaphorically-speaking, sand bags.
as our middle-class kids / children of Conservative voters – an
November 17, 2023
Just brilliant, Sir John. However, I regrettably doubt that “Little Rishi” and his useless Government are ever in listening mode! They are certainly not in “action mode”!