Having already deleted a report that claimed net zero policies had to navigate “structural inequalities and institutional racism , BEIS have now removed another document that suggested people should “shift dietary habits” by eating less meat, and recommended a tax on “high-carbon foods” to “normalise plant based food”. Yet another report commissioned, signed off, and published, only to suddenly disappear when someone in BEIS actually read it…

The second report, written by the Behavioural Insights Unit (AKA the Nudge Unit), also advised “shift[ing] social norms” over international flights for business meeting – by depicting such trips as an “immoral indulgence or embarrassment”. “‘Frequent flyer’ should not be a badge of pride”, it says…

Right on cue, BEIS has already distanced itself from the report, claiming:

“We have no plans whatsoever to dictate consumer behaviour in this way. For that reason, our Net Zero Strategy published yesterday contained no such plans.”

The old adage, “never believe anything until it is officially denied” applies here Guido suspects. If the department is telling the truth, it does beg the question of why BEIS is happy to even entertain this nonsense in the first place…