“Today over half of the UK’s resident researcher population were born overseas. When we leave the European Union, I will ensure that does not change.”
The injection of the truth that it would mean politicians in charge of services is enough to make most people see sense.
Town Halls are sticking with the “big six” – spurning the chance to save money or to switch to renewables. This even applies to councils that set up their own firms.
Voters, economic reality and climate change all press for further action. Here’s what we could and should do to make our land even greener and more pleasant.
Let’s not set the prices, but instead the gap between the ultra-competitive deals for switchers and the tariffs for loyal customers.
What’s more, to have any effect it would need to be part of a broader suite of interventionist policies – territory where Conservatives’ can never out-socialist Labour.
This development not only offers a welcome boost for Wales, but will help to foster the UK’s position as a world leader in green energy.
Let’s remind ourselves of a few occasions where the letter of the law has been lacking the odd dot or crossed T.
If we do, we could reverse at least some of the six per cent hit to GDP it has caused so far. If we don’t, we could continue to lose productivity growth of 0.2 per cent a year.
The Government must always stand up to businesses’ excesses, without losing sight of the huge benefits that partnerships have brought.
Also: Cairns criticised over future of Swansea tidal lagoon; SNP squeeze private schools as teacher crisis deepends; and Foster ‘was not fully warned’ about RHI risks.
Ministers need to be less political and more pragmatic about which technologies can sustain our economy in the decades ahead.
Of course Ulster’s trade with the mainland must be protected as top priority, but a degree of flexibility on regulations in a small number of sectors is sensible.
The energy networks receive a lot less scrutiny than the ‘Big Six’, but they’re natural monopolies extracting unjustifiable profits and must be reformed.
What I saw when I attended the United Nations climate change summit recenty, 25 years on from when I went with Sir John to the Earth Summit