Thursday, December 17, 2015

christmas cheer?

Is it just me?
I’m feeling hopeless, powerless and very depressed about political decisions that are being made “in my name”, but about which I can do virtually NOTHING to influence…

In January 2015, the government pledged not to frack under our national parks.
In December 2015, MPs voted to frack under our nation parks….
Note: George Osborne's father in law, Lord Howell, is a fossil fuel lobbyist. Since 2000, he has been the chairman of the British Institute of Energy Economics, and chairman of the Windsor Energy Group since 2003.

In 2010, you will recall those heart-warming photos of Mr Cameron (and the huskies) when he promised that his government would be “greenest government ever”.
In July 2015, however, in a period that some environmentalists have described as the “worst period for environmental policy in three decades, energy+climate change secretary, Amber Rudd, scrapped support for onshore wind farms; announced the axing of subsidies to the solar power sector; removed subsidies for coal or other fossil-fuelled power stations which are converting to wood or another biomass fuel; killing the flagship “green homes” scheme; selling off  some 70% of the green investment bank (launched in 2012 with £3.8billion public money); watering down incentives to buy greener cars; giving up on zero carbon homes; abandoned targets to keep increasing the proportion of revenue from environmental taxes… 
But, hey, at least nuclear power is safe(really?) - thanks to the help, support and money of the Chinese government (it’s all about “security”, remember).
Note: Hinkley Point will be the most expensive plant in the world, at £24bn… and, to pay for it, monumental subsidies lasting until 2060 (that’s 45 years from now!) will dwarf any PFI ever devised.

In December 2015 (this week), the government cuts subsidies for solar power… just a week after the climate change Paris summit. To cut support at this stage not only dashes hopes of Britain leading the way in meeting the 1.5 degree target set in Paris last week, but also risks putting thousands of people out of work…

And in other, non-environmental, stuff…
In April 2015, Mr Cameron insisted that the government wouldn’t cut family credits.
In September 2015, the government announced family credit cuts (and it’s only thanks to the House of Lords that the measure wasn’t ultimately introduced)…

In July 2015, MEPs voted on the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade+Investment Partnership) for the first time. The majority of MEPs across Europe gave their first thumbs up to the deal (as far as I’m concerned, putting big business over citizens’ rights). So now TTIP will keep being negotiated with America. Frighteningly, the trade negotiations have been carried out mostly in secret. In my view, you SHOULD be very worried… it will have HUGE (and damaging) implications for the NHS; Food and Environmental Safety; Banking Regulations; Privacy; Jobs; and Democracy. Did we get a chance to vote on TTIP? No we didn’t…

In August 2015, Mr Cameron created 26 new Conservative peers (the PM has now created more peers than ANY other modern prime minister)…

In November 2015, the government decided to cut funding to opposition political parties by 19%.

In December 2015, the UK parliament voted to bomb Syria…

Last, but not least (and, hey, I could probably list another dozen grievances!):
The government wants to restrict Freedom of Information laws (that help citizens expose dodgy lobbyists, poor government decisions and threats to public safety). They want to water down our right to hold them to account and have set up an Independent Commission to review matters…
Note: It was a FOI request that exposed the MPs’ expenses scandal. And it was another FOI request which exposed that a third of NHS contracts were being handed out to private companies.

Sorry… I know I must sound a bit like Scrooge.
But, maybe I’ll wake up and it’ll all have been a nightmare?
Happy, happy Christmas!!

 

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