As a young lobbyist many years ago I was approached by Peter Mandelson at a Labour Party conference ‘Progress’ drinks reception. I remember he said “well hello – are you progressive?”I can’t for the life of me remember my response but suffice to say the meeting was short. I was reminded of that evening when I heard of the oh-so-not-progressive Mandy’s latest weeze which is to set up an ‘energy and climate change unit’ to lobby Ed Milliband’s Ministry of Energy and Climate Change on behalf of business interests.
As if there is not already too much confusing business lobbying of Government over CC ! And to be honest I know most progressive businesses really don’t feel they need Mandy’s ‘help’ in such matters. Mandy is not known for his progressive stance on CC. The small-print says he wants to help ‘minimise competitiveness impacts’. That’s Mandy-code for ‘kick into the long grass any progressive Government intervention in the markets which might in any way challenge the ability of UK companies to do business as usual’.
It’s long been uncertain if bringing CC and Energy together in one Ministry under Milliband-junior made sense – especially in the face of the formidable ‘talents’ of Mandy running the competition – the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. I am sure Ed means well but he has a formidable foe in Mandy. Whats needed from Government now to help save us from unstoppable runaway climate chaos is regulatory reform which also facilitates low/zero carbon enterprise. So in many ways Mandy’s Ministry is far more relevant to CC than Milliband’s – and no doubt holds more of the cards when decisions are made at Cabinet. So I think that the last thing we need today (or any other day) is Mandy meddling in the future of the planet.
If only Mandy would live up to the words in his song. If only he gave without takin’… maybe we would need him today… oh Mandy!
