Energy minister Graham Stuart had a hospital pass of a media round this morning, in which he was forced to acknowledge that while blackouts were unlikely, the government was planning for them.
Given the tightness of supply facing most European countries this winter, famous left-wing moderniser and Business Secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg, has backed a £15m public information campaign to encourage people to save energy. This was reportedly vetoed by the prime minister for ‘ideological reasons’.
This is odd in a number of ways. First, consuming less energy and saving money is not a classic left-right issue. Second, £15m would deliver returns many times over if it prevented even 15 minutes of blackouts due to the economic disruption that would unleash. And for context, we are spending £60 *billion* over the next six months on the energy support package. Third, the government appears to be embarking on a £930m advertising spree to promote various other policies.
To rip off wholesale the thoughts of Tim Lord, Head of Climate Change at the Phoenix Group, such a public awareness campaign would have virtually no downside. It would “cut bills, cut borrowing, cut waste, cut [the] flow of cash from UK consumers to (largely overseas) energy producers, cut emissions, cut security of supply risk”.
It would also be popular. YouGov found that two-thirds of respondents supported the idea of using less energy to avoid shortages.
The Conservative Party’s mood will not be lifted by our poll today, which suggests that each of its MPs in London is set to lose their seat at a general election, with the party 37 points behind Labour. But more striking still are some of the other responses in the poll:
- 46 per cent of people in London fear they will not be able to pay their rent or mortgage
- 60 per cent say they may not be able to pay their energy bills
- 61 per cent say they might have to cut back on essentials like groceries
- 31 per cent are worried they might have to use a foodbank
- 32 per cent are concerned about being made homeless
A timely reminder that there are political problems and then there are actual problems.
In the comment pages, Emily Sheffield says we can hope for the young women of Iran, but hope is not enough.
Meanwhile, Pret coffee, Old Street roundabout and people calling the UK the sixth richest country in the world when they mean the sixth largest economy (our GDP per capita places us at 29th according to the World Bank). I reel off a list of 60 things that drive me mad.
And finally, shouting matches, 90-hour weeks, blood, sweat and a lot of tears: as The Bear thunders on to our TVs, Joanna Taylor investigates the toxic bro culture in London’s kitchens.
Have a lovely weekend.
