Tuesday, January 09, 2024
More revolting Tories
The Independent reports on yet another Tory MP who has decided that he is not going to roll over and accept Sunak's abandonment of policies to tackle climate change.
The paper says that senior Tory MP, Sir Alok Sharma has said he will not support Rishi Sunak’s “smoke and mirrors” oil and gas drilling bill, with the former cabinet member and Cop26 president arguing that the legislation is a “total distraction, which frankly changes nothing”.
Sharma went on to accuse the PM of “chopping and changing” climate policies, reinforcing “the unfortunate perception about the UK rolling back from climate action”:
It comes as senior Tory MP Chris Skidmore formally submitted his resignation in protest over Mr Sunak’s oil and gas drilling plans – triggering yet another by-election headache for the PM.
The ex-energy minister said Mr Sunak’s climate stance would “destroy the reputation of the UK as a climate leader”, having announced on Friday that he planned to stand down.
The MP for Kingswood in Gloucestershire formally quit the Tory whip and his seat on Monday, arguing that his constituents “deserve the right” to elect someone new if he could no longer back the government.
On Monday, Mr Sunak’s government will try to pass legislation requiring the North Sea regulator to invite applications for new oil and gas licences on an annual basis instead of the five-year average currently in place.
Critics have accused the government of backing new production as a way to create a dividing line with Labour ahead of this year’s general election.
Just 1 per cent of the oil from new licences granted in the North Sea would be used in the UK in 2030, according to analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).
The ECIU said the bill will therefore have little impact on Britain’s energy security and do nothing to bring down household bills – which have soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Former energy secretary Mr Sharma told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I will not be voting for this bill.
“As it is currently drafted, this bill is a total distraction… it is a smoke and mirrors bill which, frankly, changes nothing.”
The MP said the North Sea Transition Authority can already grant licences when it deems necessary and “that will not change”.
He added: “What this bill does do is reinforce that unfortunate perception about the UK rolling back from climate action. We saw this last autumn with the chopping and changing of some policies and actually not being serious about meeting our international commitments.
“Just a few weeks ago at COP 28, the 28th UN climate conference, the UK government signed up to transition away from fossil fuels.
“This bill is about doubling down on granting more oil and gas production licences. It’s actually the opposite of what we agreed to do… so I won’t be supporting it.”
This is of course a serious revolt by serious people, highlighting that the current Conservative Government cannot be trusted with our environment.
The paper says that senior Tory MP, Sir Alok Sharma has said he will not support Rishi Sunak’s “smoke and mirrors” oil and gas drilling bill, with the former cabinet member and Cop26 president arguing that the legislation is a “total distraction, which frankly changes nothing”.
Sharma went on to accuse the PM of “chopping and changing” climate policies, reinforcing “the unfortunate perception about the UK rolling back from climate action”:
It comes as senior Tory MP Chris Skidmore formally submitted his resignation in protest over Mr Sunak’s oil and gas drilling plans – triggering yet another by-election headache for the PM.
The ex-energy minister said Mr Sunak’s climate stance would “destroy the reputation of the UK as a climate leader”, having announced on Friday that he planned to stand down.
The MP for Kingswood in Gloucestershire formally quit the Tory whip and his seat on Monday, arguing that his constituents “deserve the right” to elect someone new if he could no longer back the government.
On Monday, Mr Sunak’s government will try to pass legislation requiring the North Sea regulator to invite applications for new oil and gas licences on an annual basis instead of the five-year average currently in place.
Critics have accused the government of backing new production as a way to create a dividing line with Labour ahead of this year’s general election.
Just 1 per cent of the oil from new licences granted in the North Sea would be used in the UK in 2030, according to analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).
The ECIU said the bill will therefore have little impact on Britain’s energy security and do nothing to bring down household bills – which have soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Former energy secretary Mr Sharma told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I will not be voting for this bill.
“As it is currently drafted, this bill is a total distraction… it is a smoke and mirrors bill which, frankly, changes nothing.”
The MP said the North Sea Transition Authority can already grant licences when it deems necessary and “that will not change”.
He added: “What this bill does do is reinforce that unfortunate perception about the UK rolling back from climate action. We saw this last autumn with the chopping and changing of some policies and actually not being serious about meeting our international commitments.
“Just a few weeks ago at COP 28, the 28th UN climate conference, the UK government signed up to transition away from fossil fuels.
“This bill is about doubling down on granting more oil and gas production licences. It’s actually the opposite of what we agreed to do… so I won’t be supporting it.”
This is of course a serious revolt by serious people, highlighting that the current Conservative Government cannot be trusted with our environment.
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This Government cannot be trusted with anything.Unless it suits their purposes.Win at all costs.Desperation?
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