Page 28 - Gi_September2019

SHUFFLING THE DECK

In what was the biggest political reshuffle since the early we will end the use of unmitigated coal
1960s, more than half of government ministers who served in electricity generation.”
under former Prime Minister Theresa May were either Like Leadsom, Villiers is in favour
sacked or resigned with the arrival of new PM Boris Johnson. of fracking, after previously voting
against a ban on shale gas exploration
Seventeen out of 30 were either shown the door or chose to and issuing a statement on her website
leave in the ruthless reshuffle. Here, we take a look at the which sought to allay concerns about
winners and losers at the heart of energy and climate policy the controversial practice.
Her voting record shows that, in 2012,
she voted against a bill which would
Andrea Leadsom But Leadsom’s track record on green have required the Green Investment
Business, Energy and Industrial energy is mixed. Her time as Energy Bank to support a target of lower carbon
Strategy Secretary Minister coincided with a stark cut to emissions. Then, in 2013, Villiers voted
In renewables subsidies and consequent against a bill to set a target for the
amount of greenhouse gases the UK
collapse in deployment and new
policies said to be in the works to produced. In 2015, she voted for the
support them – particularly subsidy- Climate Change Levy to be applied to
free contracts for difference for proven electricity generated from renewables.
technologies – never materialised. Perhaps her most telling comments
Parliament returns from its summer came in 2010, when she was a junior
recess on 3 September, after which one minister working in the Department for
of Leadsom’s more significant duties Transport: “I am not modally neutral.
will be to release the looming energy While I resist measures designed just
VOTE LEAVE CAMPAIGNER Leadsom white paper, which was due for release to bully people out of their cars I see
is an ex-cabinet minister who resigned this summer. it as a crucially important part of the
in protest over the Brexit deal she job of Secretary of State to promote
approved. She succeeds Greg Clark, who lower carbon transport options; to find
had held the position for three years. Theresa Villiers ways to make it easier for people to
Leadsom previously served as Environment Secretary make travel choices that generate less
Energy and Climate Change Minister pollution; in short, to make it easier to
from May 2015 to July 2016 as well as In for people to be green.”
Environment Secretary from July 2016
to June 2017.
Infamously, the MP for South Kwasi Kwarteng
Northamptonshire was forced to Minister of State at BEIS
abandon her own leadership run back
in 2016 over comments made to a Times In
journalist, in which she suggested that
being a mother gave her more of a stake
in the future than Theresa May, who VILLIERS HAS HELD various cabinet
does not have children. A second run at positions since the Conservative-led
the top job in June saw her eliminated coalition in 2010 and is also a member
in the first ballot. of the Privy Council. She was a staunch
Following her appointment, former supporter of David Cameron during his
City banker Leadsom said: “It’s a great reign as Prime Minister before becoming
honour to be appointed as Secretary of one of six cabinet members to support THE SPELTHORNE MP and former
State for Business, Energy and Industrial the Vote Leave campaign in 2016. Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the
Strategy, supporting UK businesses Villiers replaces Michael Gove, who Department for Exiting the European
as we make our way in the world once has been given a new role in Johnson’s Union has been handed Claire Perry’s
we’ve left the European Union, and of government. ministerial brief for energy.
course tackling the vital issue of global In May of this year, Villiers submitted Kwarteng is one of four old Etonians
climate change. I really look forward to a post on her Facebook account about in Johnson’s Cabinet (including Boris
getting stuck into the work.” climate action. In it, Villiers said: “Action himself and his younger brother Jo,
Leadsom takes the position at a critical on climate change is vital. Significant who joins Kwarteng at BEIS). He read
juncture for the country’s clean economy progress has been made, with a third classics and history at Trinity College,
and green policy, and will be tasked of our electricity now generated by Cambridge, and then attended Harvard
with delivering a legislative framework clean renewable power sources. We University on a Kennedy Scholarship. He
ambitious enough for the country to are also the first major developed earned a PhD in economic history from
transition towards net zero before 2050. economy to make a commitment that the University of Cambridge, in 2000.

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