Essay by Eric Worrall
British Prime Minister Liz Truss seems to want us to believe that she is Margaret Thatcher Easter. But her history of political transformation on key issues leaves much uncertainty.
Boris Johnson’s ‘green legacy’ has major flaws – it’s up to the next prime minister to rescue the nil
ANALYSIS
Boris Johnson likes to portray himself as a climate action champion, but he leaves his successor with a netless mountain to climb
September 5, 2022 11:14 am (Updated 3:22 pm)
It probably fits that in one of his last speeches as Prime MinisterBoris Johnson took the opportunity to blast the government’s record on climate action.
He said his government had made “big decisions” to ensure a “clean, green future” for the UK.
Mr. Johnson has always liked to speak loudly about climate change. He inherited the ambitious goal of delivering net zero emissions by 2050 from his predecessor Theresa May – but he took the challenge and ran with it.
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Both candidates have promise to maintain the goal of going net-free by 2050but has said little about the radical action needed to get there.
Instead it is a love for work, Liz Truss, landed a campaign advertising policies that experts say will increase emissions, do not cut them. She swore she would prevent the spread of solar farms across the country, lift the ban on breakingand promote discovery efforts for lots of oil and gas in the North Sea.
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A point in Truss’ favor, Nigel Farage was impressed by Liz Truss’ victory speech enough to suggest people give her a chance. Farage is a friend and supporter of President Trumphe was a surprise guest at one of President Trump’s campaign speeches during Trump’s first presidential run. Farage focuses on his reaction to winning Truss is an uncontrolled illegal immigrant, but Farage has appointed Lord Monckton as climate spokesman for UKIP, which should give you an idea of his views on climate policy.
My biggest concern with Truss is that she seems to be a political chameleon. Truss has gone from a staunch anti-Brexit campaigner to now saying she supports Brexit. She claims to support Net Zero, but also claims to want to limit new renewable installations and encourage more fossil fuel production. Some have described her speech as clumsy, but she impressed Trump friend Nigel Farage with her victory speech.
Given Truss’ history of clear political flexibility, I honestly don’t know what she’s going to do, she’s Prime Minister now. We can only hope Truss makes an effort to keep her promise to ease restrictions on domestic fossil fuel productionand at least the one to beat her promise of continued support for expensive UK Net Zero policies.
Correction (EW): Launch of anti-brexit campaigners to support brexit.
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