A curious intro to the energy Secretary’s monthly constituency report. Apart from reflecting on how impressive it is that she is “part of the first gender-balanced Cabinet as a Black woman”, Miatta Fahnbulleh said:
“As a mother, I think often about that future. It means confronting the reality of climate change and accelerating our transition to clean energy. It also means being honest about the challenges we face today, including the need for secure and affordable energy for working families and businesses.
This month, that has meant making difficult decisions and I know many of you will have questions over my decision on Jackdaw. I am very clear about what needs to be done to achieve net zero by 2050. We are investing billions in renewables and nuclear to reach our end destination. But as we make this transition, we are going to need oil and gas. I believe it is better to use homegrown gas to bolster our energy security than importing oil from abroad. And by using the money raised from the North Sea to invest in low carbon industries we can help speed up the transition.”
There is reference to Net Zero 2050 there. What’s missing is Labour’s Clean Power 2030 pledge…
Healey has been slowly strangling the goal of 95% clean electricity by the end of the decade – Miliband’s baby – in order to promote talk of lower bills. Which is currently a subsidy to be swallowed four times over by energy price cap hikes…
Even Fahnbulleh is keeping quiet on the Labour pledge, which has caused enough harm already. Self-preservation…
Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked John Healey: “Just finally, I mean Andy Burnham has been very clear he wants Britain back in the European Union in his lifetime. Do you?”
The Chancellor replied: “I’m older than Andy Burnham. I don’t expect to see that.”