Overspend/under delivery by the former government confirmed!

Wyllow3 there are mind blowing amounts going to Net Zero and carbon capture with no guarantee that the new energy technologies will be workable and sufficient for our needs. Mind blowing.

How would you tackle climate change instead, Ronib?

Wyllow3 1. Climate has always changed. 2. The Uk is apparently responsible for 1 percent of global warming/emissions or whatever. So any impact we might make is highly insignificant. 3. We need to become less dependent on China for our manufacturing. 4. We need to stop thinking that the science on global warming is proven. 5. Science needs to progress etc

Carbon capture I’m very sceptical about and also importing much of our needs from other countries, that use coal for power, it helps our carbon targets but does nothing for global emissions.
Renewable energy and Nuclear we should spend more on, it would also help a lot if we travelled less and wasted less, not much hope of progress there.

David49 I thought nuclear was being closed down along with oil and gas? In the Uk only that is.

It’s nice that so many Gransnetters are happy with the performance so far of our current government, but they’re out of sync with much of the country who are very much not happy up till now, hence Keir Starmer’s popularity plummeting.

Oh - a climate change denier - and a number of reasons why we shouldn't have to do anything. Despite commitments made by BJ and others at that crucial climate conference.

Until the Labour government, we were the lowest spenders in Europe on low carbon emissions, we need to do our bit.
www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/05/uk-spends-least-among-major-european-economies-on-low-carbon-energy-policy-study-shows#:~:text=8%20months%20old-,UK%20spends%20least%20among%20major%20European%20economies%20on,carbon%20energy%20policy%2C%20study%20shows&text=The%20UK%20spends%20less%20on,transport%20and%20low%2Dcarbon%20electricity.

the actual increase in spending is only 500 million on the previous budget
www.gov.uk/government/news/record-breaking-funding-for-clean-energy-in-britain

We need to stop thinking that the science on global warming is proven

Ronib I presume from this statement that you think the science on global warming is not true?

LizzieDrip I seriously believe there’s so much we don’t know and science is never
shut down in the way that climate activists think. Climate activists have become a political force removed from actual science.

ronib

David49 I thought nuclear was being closed down along with oil and gas? In the Uk only that is.

Nuclear is very much on the agenda for the future, they are even considering small modular nuclear power plants, if we are to develop Hydrogen we are going to need a lot of electrical capacity

Wyllow3 what is with the climate deniers argument? Nope.
8.3 billion for Great British Energy.

I thought the reason the old nuclear power plants were remaining open longer than originally planned was because of a delay with Hinckley Point C, which is a massive new nuclear power plant being built now? I know they are also planning a replacement nuclear plant at Wylfa on Anglesey, I haven’t heard that has changed?

"Climate activists have become a political force removed from actual science." Really, can you give examples please? I'm not a scientist but I believe we have to make our decisions on the basis of what we know, not on the basis of what we don't know. Unfortunately it is not enough to say we don't need to do anything because our emissions are small compared to China and India for example when we have already caused huge pollution in the past and have benefited greatly. Climate change is a world problem and the last time I looked we were still part of that world, so like it or not it's an issue that will impact on us and the people who follow us either directly or indirectly.

So, does anyone here have a sound financial plan to try and get the country back on track?

ronib

LizzieDrip I seriously believe there’s so much we don’t know and science is never
shut down in the way that climate activists think. Climate activists have become a political force removed from actual science.

Whether climate activists are correct or not that is the way we are going, renewable power has got to be good but to make any real progress globally we have got to consume less resources.
Realistically I don’t see that happening so I hope the climate doom mongers are wrong and we don’t have armageddon when the targets are missed

petal53

It’s nice that so many Gransnetters are happy with the performance so far of our current government, but they’re out of sync with much of the country who are very much not happy up till now, hence Keir Starmer’s popularity plummeting.

I have some disagreements with the levels of GFA and IT, but on the whole its not a matter of being "happy" with how things all are with us, but that what has been done was tough but necessary.

I notice time and time again on GN threads condemnation or grumbles of the current government, but posters never say, "they could/should have done this instead.

What alternatives were there "Acceptable" to these critics to raise money to keep services going despite the hole in finances instead of current decisions? Prisons, NHS, schools, care services, many more, left to rot and pershpa GN's can say what a Tory government would have done instead?

Well of course there are other events which don’t get mentioned - for example the axis of the earth has shifted. To focus so acutely on CO2 for example is not the answer.

So what is the answer? The earth has shifted and there are a number of theories about why but I'm not aware of any ideas of how we could shift it back short of moving the odd ocean to redistribute the weight of it's water. Hence we focus on what we think can help and that's to reduce the amount of CO2 going into the atmosphere and we keep our fingers crossed. Unfortunately there's too many promises made by governments with their fingers crossed behind their back!

Hmm - so, Petal, perhaps you think that we should have re- elected the previous government: could you make an argument for this?
The data suggests not.

ronib

Well of course there are other events which don’t get mentioned - for example the axis of the earth has shifted. To focus so acutely on CO2 for example is not the answer.

Yes foxie, chicken and egg but as long as we can intervene, we need to.

Frankly, I'm inclined to think that Brian Cox and David Attenborough are more credible than those clinging to climate denial politics, drill baby drill and don't give a *amn.

Given that the USA is going to drill baby drill, so whatever we do here will have a tiny tiny impact on global warming at great cost to our economy and society. Does David Attenborough not appear on American television?

ronib

Wyllow3 1. Climate has always changed. 2. The Uk is apparently responsible for 1 percent of global warming/emissions or whatever. So any impact we might make is highly insignificant. 3. We need to become less dependent on China for our manufacturing. 4. We need to stop thinking that the science on global warming is proven. 5. Science needs to progress etc

👏👏👏👏👏👏 Well said ronib!

I for one, am really alarmed at Ed Milliband's rush trying to be the first country to reach net zero with no thought of the consequences for the uk and for such little gain for the world (less than 1% emmisions). What a farce!

Cossy

Freya5

The current Gov is no better. In fact it's making things much worse. It's adding greatly to the debt already there. Labour have a bad reputation of spending other people's money, till other people's money, ie tax payer, runs out.

I think it’s far too early to judge this govt.

It’s clear there was £££££££ wasted in the last govt.

May - ££££££ to the DUPs
Johnson - ££££££££££££ Track & Trace and PPE (just name two)
Truss - a fiscal disaster in 6 weeks.

I’m not a fan of some of the LP policies nor how they’ve been implemented, but one cannot compare 14 years to 6 months.

We need to be see the impact, negatively or positively, before we judge.

We can't really say where we will be at the end of this parliament let alone 14 years. Hopefully we won't have another pandemic or worse still be dragged into a war.

An out of control public sector pay round is probably the most likely. Giving in to the train drivers and the doctors means other will expect a good deal. And they will be prepared to strike because they have seen it works.

I do hope we have a government who can sort things out but I think they have made a poor start.

Listened toStarmers speech today reminded me of a very boring church sermon
I got the impression he is setting up lots of groups to sit and discuss what to do so it seemed pretty hopeless They do keep saying they are going to build a lot of houses I got that zBut
couldn't he make some decisions that people want like get rid of TV licence don't watch BBC why do I have to pay for it Doctors seeing patients again iñ doctors surgeries and getting rid of the awful everyone phone the doctors at 8am where people who are at work can't do that and people who are ill hang on the phone only to be told all the appointments have now gone phone again tomorrow

Id just like to see some actionLots of
People don't work because they lack skills Set up basic skills tràining create jobs people can do lots of people finding work hard because of the work not taking seriously their issues. I know of people with no confidence and work doesn't help because of the bullying Create jobs where people don't have to mix just have them turnip do a job and go home like picking up rubbish in parks