Blog

Telling truth to power is never easy. It carries risk. Speaking out against an established view sometimes leads to ostracisation; suggesting a policy is failing often leads to being ignored and replaced by someone who will say the emperor is actually wearing clothes and publicly disagreeing can lead to threats of all kinds.

My blog this week is different, it is not aimed at the usual EUA audience but is instead directed towards the 400 plus Labour MPs in parliament.

Last week I met with the accreditation body “Made in Britain”. They ran through their accreditation process needed to use the registered trademark.

It would be bizarre not to address the situation the world finds itself in, war in the Middle East with consequences seen on gas supplies and gas prices.

Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what it really means to be an alliance in an energy landscape that’s changing faster than ever.

Last week, the Institute of Economic Affairs published a reported “Just Stop Oil” which questioned the economic logic of its title.

Last week, across a range of sources, our net zero relationship with China came under scrutiny.

As the world was grappling with the economic downturn caused by the global financial crash of 2008, former President Clinton made the case in 2011 that getting people back to work was central to rising living standards.

In the pecking order of civil service roles, those in the Treasury are often the most sought after.

We’ve waited a long time for the publication of the Warm Homes Plan and last week it arrived

Watching the TV news last week, I was relieved not to be living in the Tunbridge Wells area.

The cost of living remains front and centre for millions of households, and energy bills are a huge part of that equation.

As we approach the festive season and for some of us a break over Christmas and the New Year, my final blog of 2025 will pick out a few highlights.

I’ve been concerned for a while that DESNZ seems less focused on achieving a genuinely low-carbon future and more fixated on promoting a single technology. At times, it feels like they’re acting as sales reps rather than policymakers.

Last weekend some friends came to visit. Hadn’t seen them for a few years, so it was good to catch up.

Later this week the Chancellor will outline her plans for the UK economy, in particular tax and spending proposals. After months of speculation, it will be a relief just to have some certainty.