Back in November Ed Miliband was busy lauding a report from the “independent” (state-owned) National Energy System Operator into the government’s Clean-Power-by-2030 target. He said “Expert analysis backs our policy and its benefits for the country. Defeatist critics should take note”…
The caveat-laden report said that the target could be reached if, among other things, the government achieved a tripling of offshore wind and solar capacity as well as a fivefold increase in households agreeing to turn off devices at short notice. Now the “independent, expert analysis” is in question…
An FOI has been released which gathered correspondence between DESNZ officials and NESO in the run up to the report’s publication. There are numerous occasions on which NESO asks directly for feedback and input from Miliband’s department on the report itself. Take three egregious examples from Kayte O’Neill, NESO’s COO, to Miliband’s staff:
Miliband has numerous times used this one report to claim that his plans have been proven to be viable and affordable by a disinterested third party. As usual with the blob it is all a Potemkin exercise…
UPDATE: The team over at the DESNZ press office called asking Guido to remove the eco-terrorism banner, but didn’t dispute any of the actual facts of this story.
A DESNZ spokesperson said:
“NESO is operationally independent. It is standard practice for NESO to seek diverse perspectives ahead of report publications; this has always been the case. As you would expect, they sought feedback from DESNZ alongside other key stakeholders – including industry and society – ahead of the publication of the Clean Power Action Plan.”
Miliband has the morning round and has been naturally been asked about Heathrow expansion. Something Ed pushed back on in Cabinet when Reeves blindsided colleagues with upgraded plans…
The energy secretary has tacitly admitted his opposition to the plans on Sky News: “Well obviously I abide by collective responsibility… tempting as it is to give you a running commentary on our cabinet discussions I’m not, I’m not going to do that.” He fired the usual warning shot at Reeves:
“What the government’s done – I do support what the government is doing – which is that we’ve asked Heathrow to come forward with their plans but it’s really important to say that these have got to meet strict carbon budgets and local environmental standards – and then an assessment will be made about whether a third runway can do that.”
As long as Jolyon doesn’t actually get involved Miliband and Khan may end up successfully blocking airport expansion. When it came to the Rosebank oilfield, the energy secretary would only say “we’re going to go through proper due process.” On that issue it will not be hard for Miliband to corral the Labour Party against Reeves and Starmer when it comes to a showdown…
The battle between Labour’s pro-growth wing and the net zero zealots rumbles on. Last week, it was Heathrow expansion—when Rachel Reeves, desperate to prove her economic credentials, threw her weight behind a third runway. Ed Miliband and his eco-warrior allies weren’t happy then…
Now a fresh row deepens the divide in the party, as Reeves and Starmer are gearing up to give the green light to the UK’s two biggest offshore oil and gas projects—Rosebank and Jackdaw. The boss of energy giant Equinor has already warned Miliband that blocking these developments would wreck the UK’s reputation with investors. That’s not just hot air…
Miliband has in the past slammed the Rosebank licence as “climate vandalism”. Meanwhile, the Labour Growth Group—a group of mostly New Labour MPs pushing hard on housing and infrastructure—are said to be against the oil developments. Some backbenchers are fuming, saying “This is a line in the sand for almost everyone in the PLP,” and “a breaking point for a lot of us” as more grumbles about U-turning on manifesto pledges sow deeper divides. If Reeves and Starmer override Ed again in pursuit of the almighty G-word, it could be his breaking point…
Guido hears the Department for Energy, Security, and Net Zero in Whitehall has been left in the dark after a power cut this morning, leaving civil servants trapped in a blackout. No electricity, no water, no Wi-Fi—some of them are even stuck in lifts, and staff can’t get out of the building. A fitting tribute to the department’s supposed expertise in energy management…
Red Ed’s building isn’t the only one hit. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is also caught in the outage. Perhaps there isn’t enough wind to power the place today…
A scathing new report reveals the catastrophic consequences of Ed Miliband’s Net Zero fantasies, with Britain already teetering on the edge of blackouts last month. Energy expert Kathryn Porter writing for Net Zero Watch warns the UK’s electricity grid is already stretched to breaking point with the rise in ‘frequency excursions’—where grid frequency drifts dangerously beyond safe limits—proving the system is already running on fumes. Still Miliband ploughs ahead with his climate crusade that’s only going to make things worse…
Meanwhile, the grid infrastructure to support the transition into green energy (which is effectively useless when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine) is nowhere near ready. Porter warns:
“The plan doesn’t rise much above the level of a fairy tale – it’s clear that the technical feasibility of what is proposed has barely been considered. And to the extent that it becomes reality, it will make energy security even more of a problem.”
Rachel Reeves claims she’s “going for growth,” yet Britain still has the most expensive energy in the developed world—hardly an incentive for businesses to set up shop or expand. As economist Roger Bootle says, “there is no point in impoverishing ourselves in order to ‘lead the world’ on Net Zero.” Meanwhile, diplomatic sources have reportedly suggested Britain could be dragged back into Brussels’ Net Zero climate scheme as part of Starmer’s grand plan to “reset” Brexit. Higher costs, more red tape, and a return to EU diktats—some “growth” strategy that is…
Rachel Reeves’ promise to deliver “growth” by backing a Heathrow third runway has set her on a collision course with Labour’s net zero brigade. Ed Miliband—ringleader of the climate cabal—was noticeably absent from Reeves’ big growth speech, where she announced the airport expansion. He then fought against the plan in this week’s Cabinet meeting, where Guido hears Reeves blindsided her anti-growth, pro-net zero colleagues by upgrading plans last minute…
Now Miliband has doubled down, pledging a 61% cut in UK emissions by 2035—including aviation. Addressing the UN, he warned the industry must make “deep reductions.” Labour’s Transport Select Committee chair Ruth Cadbury, a staunch Heathrow expansion opponent, has called an emergency session to scrutinise the plans. Meanwhile, Anneliese Dodds and Hilary Benn refused to say whether they too fought against the plans at the Cabinet meeting. Yesterday, Reeves insisted climate crusader Sadiq Khan won’t be able to stop Heathrow’s expansion, despite his legal threats. Miliband’s team again insists he won’t resign over it. Reeves will soon discover if it’s better to have your enemies inside the tent than out…
Red Wall Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told GB News that Starmer should resign:
“I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”