Blog

Over the past few months some old myths have resurfaced.

Writing this after the DR Congo game, I thought about using a very large font so that those bleary-eyed from the Mexico game could still read it

I couldn’t avoid commenting on the recent heatwave; it was a warm one.

I am writing this blog on Friday morning (19 June); Andy Burnham has just won a spectacular (albeit unnecessary) by-election and it would be remiss of me not to consider what the implications of this are.

There is a reason why consumer champion Martin Lewis is so trusted by the public, he is not frightened to tell truth to power and having done his homework, he gives an honest assessment. This approach is sorely needed in the energy sector and I’ll show you why giving a couple of examples where spin/ideology are used to distract or deflect those telling truth to power.

The first refugee camp I visited, population displaced because of flooding from a melting glacial lake, has left a lasting legacy on my attitude towards international development issues. It was in Nepal, so indulge me in what I am about to ask. But why is saving a tonne of carbon in the UK more important than saving a tonne of carbon in Nepal?

Few politicians, current or former, can capture the media attention like Tony Blair and last week he lobbed a stone into the political pond, and the ripples have not diminished yet.

One of the first things taught in economics is the “guns or butter” lesson – the idea of scarce resources to meet competing demands.

For years now, heat pump policy in the UK has been built on a central promise: don’t worry, the costs will come down.

How many times have you heard this line from the Energy Secretary or read it in a DESNZ press statement?

While the media fixate on the relationship between the Prime Minister and his senior civil servants and the processes within Whitehall, it is worth just examining how everyday policy is designed and operated, and we should ask is it working?

The crisis caused by President Trump’s decisions on Iran have had immediate impacts on the price of fuel at the forecourts and also the cost of heating oil for off grid, typically rural homes. Yes, there has been some respite in the form of £53 million to help the least well-off deal with a near doubling of heating oil bills and remember they are often bought in bulk, with upfront costs and there is no energy price cap for off grid fuels.

As we move into the local election period (and Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections) it is perhaps time to peer into the minds of government and the 400 plus Labour MPs who support it.

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.