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John Hayes move follows public rows at troubled energy department John Hayes move follows public rows at troubled energy department
(about 1 hour later)
The department charged with keeping the lights on, stopping energy billpayers getting fleeced and fighting the greatest challenge to civilisation we face – climate change – has been a very unhappy place.The department charged with keeping the lights on, stopping energy billpayers getting fleeced and fighting the greatest challenge to civilisation we face – climate change – has been a very unhappy place.
John Hayes, who has been moved out after just seven months as a minister and in the middle of the flagship energy bill, provoked extraordinary rows with this nominal boss, the Lib Dem secretary of state, Ed Davey, defying him to give a speech lambasting wind farms and leading Davey to take legal advice about whether his rogue minister was opening up the department to judicial challenge on its renewable energy policies. John Hayes, who has been moved out after just seven months as a minister and in the middle of the flagship energy bill, provoked extraordinary rows with this nominal boss, the Lib Dem secretary of state, Ed Davey, defying him to give a speech lambasting windfarms and leading Davey to take legal advice about whether his rogue minister was opening up the department to judicial challenge on its renewable energy policies.
The reason for the seething tension is that the green agenda is one of the bitterest coalition crunch points. The Lib Dems are desperate to hang onto their green credentials, one of the few areas in which they lead all the main parties in public opinion, while a significant section of backbench Tory MPs loathe what they see as ludicrously expensive environmental fripperies. The reason for the seething tension is that the green agenda is one of the bitterest coalition crunch points. The Lib Dems are desperate to hang on to their green credentials, one of the few areas in which they lead all the main parties in public opinion, while a significant section of backbench Tory MPs loathe what they see as ludicrously expensive environmental fripperies.
Hayes is now off to tackle the more general discontent among the troublesome backbenchers but had been brought in, it was said, to "duff up" Davey and get a win for those shire Tories terrified of losing votes over wind farms. Hayes is now off to tackle the more general discontent among the troublesome backbenchers but had been brought in, it was said, to "duff up" Davey and get a win for those shire Tories terrified of losing votes over windfarms.
He replaced Charles Hendry, who had been well regarded by most in the energy industry, but perhaps not by Lord Browne, who he had taken to task over problems at the shale gas company Browne chairs . He replaced Charles Hendry, who had been well regarded by most in the energy industry, but perhaps not by Lord Browne, whom he had taken to task about problems at the shale gas company Browne chairs .
Adding to the turbulence at the Department of Energy and Climate Change was the loss of Chris Huhne, now in jail, and the ousting of permanent secretary, Moira Wallace, who had rowed with ministers. Even the replacement of Wallace caused waves, with the candidate selected by the recruitment process then blackballed by David Cameron. Adding to the turbulence at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) was the loss of Chris Huhne, now in jail, and the ousting of the permanent secretary, Moira Wallace, who had argued with ministers. Even the replacement of Wallace caused waves, with the candidate selected by the recruitment process then blackballed by David Cameron.
The turmoil reflects the high political stakes in the arena of energy and climate change, and it remains to be seen whether Hayes's part-time replacement, Michael Fallon, can work better with Davey. The ongoing row between Decc and George Osborne's Treasury makes its vital that it does if Decc is to win sufficient funding for its work.The turmoil reflects the high political stakes in the arena of energy and climate change, and it remains to be seen whether Hayes's part-time replacement, Michael Fallon, can work better with Davey. The ongoing row between Decc and George Osborne's Treasury makes its vital that it does if Decc is to win sufficient funding for its work.
But the fallout of all this is significant for everyone in the UK: we all pay energy bills and we all suffer when floods and droughts hit. Renewing our creaking energy system and curbing global warming are both very long games, involving complex policies costing hundreds of billions of pounds. That requires continuity between governments over decades, yet the coalition has failed to maintain continuity over months. But the fallout of all this is significant for everyone in the UK: we all pay energy bills and we all suffer when floods and droughts hit. Renewing our creaking energy system and curbing global warming are both long games, involving complex policies costing hundreds of billions of pounds. That requires continuity between governments over decades, yet the coalition has failed to maintain continuity over months.