So the Telegraph publishes a YouGov poll stating that a majority of UK citizens polled want a referendum on whether we should head for Carbon neutral status. Article here
WHAT A CLOWN
I am developing coulrophobia just reading about Johnson. “We are are on one minute to midnight” speech to world leaders. Firstly I believe he is wrong and will explain later but secondly if he believes this why is his government promoting a coal mine and new oil wells, not insulating buildings properly, allowing new houses without solar panels, etc.etc.etc.
COP26
This is exercising my mind ! The UK has done a good job so far in reducing CO2 emissions from energy production with natural gas replacing coal and wind and solar beginning to make a difference. However over 50% is still fossil fuel dependant so a lot more needs to be done. Transport has improved by 0.2% and buildings by 1.6%. Car transport should improve with more electric cars, but only if power production is sustainable. The governments policy on air and train transport is lamentable whilst the emissions caused by importing from abroad are (like most other countries) ignored. Farming has not been properly assessed.
ECONOMIES OF SCALE
FISH
I am a bit puzzled by the spat between France and the UK over fish. I like fish but the whole industry is less important to the economy than hairdressers and tattoo parlours. If they were arguing about the quality of the seas and the need for environmental restrictions I could be interested. However they are like a couple of drunks postering about who is the best dresser.
COP26
Johnson talks a good talk, almost Churchillian in content and delivery. But then we think back to the budget just 3 days ago where levies on short haul flights were reduced and fuel duty frozen. The latter of these two makes sense at the moment but there was mention of climate change, no plug for insulation, solar panels, wind turbines, etc. Nothing in the way of positive action. Zilch. The man is all hot air and bluster.
Anne Marie-TREVELYAN
New international trade secretary is accused of climate emergency denial after a series of tweets came to light in which she insisted the world was not getting hotter and dismissed global warming campaigners as “fanatics”. I am quite liberal and do not expect her to be arrested, but she should resign from public life forthwith.
COVID
The figures continue to confuse. London with a relatively low vaccination rate has low levels of infection (as do the major cities of the north), whilst the West gets hammered. Is it down to previous low rates of infection not giving us in the SW crowd immunity? Or was the spike due to the dodgy company putting out 45000 false negatives (will they be fined or have to repay some of the £220 million they have received from the tax payer – not bad for a company that did not exist 2 years ago!).
TAX
COOL
Cheaper sparkling wine and craft beer together with cheaper domestic flights. Just what the economy needs. I might have missed it, but no mention of climate change, green economy, poverty, food banks, zero hours working, fire and hire. Just loads of irrelevant figures (most of which were already designated).
Rachel Reeves did rather well though!