It is an alarming reflection on the madness of this coalition administration that unto the fool Huhne is given the power to destroy lives and our prosperity. Yet, this is the very same fool from whomThe Failygraph took dictation and yesterday published uncritically the most amazing tosh, and has now given the story to that stupid woman Louise Gray.
The "reward" of yesterday's dereliction was to have the fool stand up in parliament at 4.20 pm and dribble. To achieve "our goals", Huhne declared, "we need to take decisive action now to increase low-carbon electricity generation, including nuclear and renewable energy as well as carbon capture and storage".
These "goals", according to this fool, will require £110 billion of investment, and will cost us an additional £160 a year by 2030, relying on the assumption that families will cut their annual energy use in the home by 30 percent over the same period.
Industry regulator Ofgem, however, calculates that the policy will cost more than £200 billion by 2020. It has also predicted a rise of 52 percent in retail electricity costs, equating to around £600 a year. Other analysts suggest that the true cost will be much higher, with average domestic energy bills set to double to around £2,000 a year.
Every indication is that we are looking at the higher end, with the costs of Huhne's renewables fantasy – on which he bases his policy – consistently understated and under-performing. Add his proposal to set a minimum price for electricity plus a "carbon" floor and "carbon capture", and this sets the scene for a doubling of costs.
At the heart of his policy, though, is knocking coal out of the equation, the most cost-effective form of generation we have. He is thereby massively handicapping the industry, and then has the unmitigated gall to tell us that what is left is "simply is not up to the job". In his terms, it thus needs "reform" – i.e., the building of new, more expensive "reserve capacity" to replace the capacity he has removed, thereby massively increasing costs.
Perpetuating what amounts to staggering dishonesty in a thoroughly dishonest speech, he then defines this "reserve capacity" as power plants "we can call on when demand surges". Without these, he tells us, we "would face a much higher risk of black-outs by the end of this decade". We would also be locked into a "worrying reliance" on fossil fuel imports, "putting us at risk of rising and volatile prices".
And thus, this wealth-destroying fool says, "consumers could end up paying more" – i.e., even more than the increase they will already have to pay.
Translating this tosh, Huhne's policy relies on four things: first, an effective ban on coal as a fuel; two, the provision of base load from nuclear; three, the use of renewables (mainly wind) for variable load; four, the provision of gas plants to provide back-up for when his renewables fail to deliver (most of the time).
As to the driver of this policy, it is not – as he claims – "the need to supply secure reliable, clean electricity for the future". First and foremost, it is to meet EU renewables and emissions targets. These are the "goals" he talks about – and only within this hugely limiting framework does he then allow the electricity industry to make plans to deliver.
And here, the arithmetic starts to unravel. Just his proposed offshore wind programme is set to cost about £50 billion, to deliver a theoretical 18GW but in fact only about four – less than five percent of the total estate. By the time he has finished, a £200 billion requirement looks modest – twice Huhne's estimate of the capital required to achieve his goals, itself inflated by the premature retirement of existing coal plants.
The point that must be made, though, is that his "goals" are not our goals. They have not been presented fairly or honestly. They have not been put to an electorate in the form of any explicit manifesto, and they have no mandate. They are a highly contentious imposition from an unpopular coalition government, which has no majority support.
This, in fact, is as close to dictatorship as we have yet come. Doubtless we will move closer through the term of this vile parliament – one which yesterday "congratulated" this fool, and from which any voice of real dissent was missing.
It is thus all very well to point the finger at Huhne. But, as with the wholesale larceny of our money the day previously, this mad policy requires collective approval. And Huhne's very tenure relies on the approval and support of Cameron, who enthusiastically endorses his work.
Rarely has the electorate been so completely disfranchised. Rarely have government and parliament gone about their tasks in total defiance of the mood of the nation, stacking up unwanted costs for a minority obsession that lacks any scientific credibility or electoral legitimacy.
Yet, nothing which is said or done over the next few months or years will have the slightest impact on our dictators. They have spoken. They have given their assent, and that is how it is going to be. And, in the fullness of time, we are going to have to destroy them because, if we do not, they are set on a path to destroy us. And not one whiff of this will you get from Louise Gray and theFailygraph.
COMMENT THREAD
"The time has come", the golden boy says, "for decisive action to address the crisis in the euro zone and prevent market uncertainty doing real damage to the world economy". This he said a statement after a meeting of Europe's finance ministers in Brussels.
It is just as well that it was a statement. If he'd said it to their face, they'd probably have killed him. Did he really think that they had to be told that "decisive action" was needed?
Anyhow, according to this idiot savant, the eurozone countries should now:... set out in detail how they plan to expand the scale of the financial tools at their disposal, carry out credible stress tests backed up with recapitalisation for the most vulnerable banks, involve the private sector to make Greece's debt burden more sustainable, earn fiscal credibility through concrete action to reduce excessive deficits, and push forward structural reforms to boost growth.
This man should try listening to himself. One of these days he is going to utter this bilge to the wrong audience, whence he will be lucky if he gets to live to the end of the sentence.
Perhaps he should take a leaf out of Nick Clegg's book, and save us the trouble of doing it for him. Put Huhne on the list and this is one endeavour where we can fully support our politicians.
COMMENT: FINANCIAL CRISIS THREAD
In the tradition of Madame Defarge, we record the first of the 274 MPs who gave away £9.8 billion of our money, with their votes. This is Nigel Adams, a Conservative (In Name Only). His facebook profile is here. His portion of the giveaway is £36 million, which he now owes us. He can consider himself Noted By Madame Defrage (NBMD).
On each of the next 273 days, as far as we are able, we will record the names and profiles of the rest. Madame Defarge is going to be busy.
COMMENT: MADAME DEFARGE THREAD
I have also discovered the superb archive from the National Library of Australia, which has some of the main newspapers of the period online, including the Melbourne Argus, example here. Each day's edition is downloadable in .pdf format, as a single file, rather than page-by-page.
Helpfully, also, each page is searchable, so the text can be explored for specifics, if that is needed.
In 1940, while paper for UK newspapers was rationed, the Australian papers were not restricted, which means that events in England actually got more coverage than in the home country. For anyone who has an interest in the period, therefore, these are a valuable source of material.
Unlike UK archives, this material is free and easily accessible, as a national and international resource.
COMMENT THREAD"Ooh, did you hear? That Mrs Brooks from down the Screws told Mr. Brown of No. 11 that she knew about his baby not being right". "Well, I never! And him being all pals with Mr Murdoch at the time, too. Mind you, I heard that that Mr Cameron isn't as nice as he likes to make out either…" "You don't say? " "Well, I'm not one to gossip, but…".
This is something I'm not good at, but I can appreciate when it's well done. And for me, it's been red mist all morning. My idea of something humorous at the moment would be watching a public execution ... old style.
COMMENT: MEDIA THREAD
What this means is that we borrow money off the market – for which we pay interest - to lend to the IMF. But what may have been missed from the earlier post is that the bailout funds are to be used, inter alia, to buy up Greek debt – from a nation that intends to default.
Thus, in reality, we are buying up debt with borrowed money, to give to an organisation which will lend it to a "client" (or clients) that will never repay it. In effect, that makes this money a £9 billion "gift" from British taxpayers. It will be given to the financiers (mainly banks) who lent money to the Greek government, to help them cut their losses.
Subrosa has more about the loathsome giveaway by the people who call themselves our representatives. All we need now is a reason for not rising up and slaughtering them. It had better be really good.
UPDATE: THE HALL OF SHAME
These are the MPs who voted to give away our money ... that's £9.8 billion, or £35,766,000 each that they owe us - the £36 million club.
Adams, Nigel; Afriyie, Adam; Aldous, Peter; Alexander, rh Danny; Amess, Mr David; Andrew, Stuart; Bacon, Mr Richard; Baker, Norman; Baldwin, Harriett; Barclay, Stephen; Barwell, Gavin; Bebb, Guto; Beith, rh Sir Alan; Bellingham, Mr Henry; Beresford, Sir Paul; Berry, Jake; Bingham, Andrew; Birtwistle, Gordon; Blackman, Bob; Blackwood, Nicola; Blunt, Mr Crispin; Boles, Nick; Bradley, Karen; Brake, Tom; Bray, Angie; Brazier, Mr Julian; Brine, Mr Steve; Brokenshire, James; Brooke, Annette; Bruce, Fiona; Bruce, rh Malcolm; Buckland, Mr Robert; Burns, Conor; Burns, rh Mr Simon; Burrowes, Mr David; Burstow, Paul; Burt, Lorely; Byles, Dan; Cairns, Alun; Campbell, rh Sir Menzies; Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair; Carmichael, Neil; Chishti, Rehman; Clark, rh Greg; Clarke, rh Mr Kenneth; Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey; Coffey, Dr Thérèse; Collins, Damian; Colvile, Oliver; Cox, Mr Geoffrey; Crabb, Stephen; Crockart, Mike; Crouch, Tracey; Davey, Mr Edward; Davies, David T. C.(Monmouth); Davies, Glyn; de Bois, Nick; Dinenage, Caroline; Djanogly, Mr Jonathan; Doyle-Price, Jackie; Duddridge, James; Duncan, rh Mr Alan; Duncan Smith, rh Mr Iain; Ellis, Michael; Ellison, Jane; Ellwood, Mr Tobias; Elphicke, Charlie; Evans, Graham; Evans, Jonathan; Evennett, Mr David; Fabricant, Michael; Fallon, Michael; Featherstone, Lynne; Field, Mr Mark; Foster, rh Mr Don; Fox, rh Dr Liam; Francois, rh Mr Mark; Freer, Mike; Fullbrook, Lorraine; Gale, Mr Roger; Garnier, Mr Edward; Garnier, Mark; Gauke, Mr David; George, Andrew; Gibb, Mr Nick; Glen, John; Goodwill, Mr Robert; Gove, rh Michael; Graham, Richard; Grant, Mrs Helen; Grayling, rh Chris; Green, Damian; Greening, Justine; Gummer, Ben; Gyimah, Mr Sam; Hames, Duncan; Hammond, rh Mr Philip; Hammond, Stephen; Hancock, Matthew; Hancock, Mr Mike; Hands, Greg; Harper, Mr Mark; Harrington, Richard; Harris, Rebecca; Hart, Simon; Haselhurst, rh Sir Alan; Heald, Oliver; Heath, Mr David; Heaton-Harris, Chris; Hemming, John; Hendry, Charles; Hinds, Damian; Hoban, Mr Mark; Hollingbery, George; Holloway, Mr Adam; Hopkins, Kris; Howarth, Mr Gerald; Howell, John; Hughes, rh Simon; Huhne, rh Chris; Hunt, rh Mr Jeremy; Huppert, Dr Julian; Hurd, Mr Nick; Jackson, Mr Stewart; James, Margot; Javid, Sajid; Jenkin, Mr Bernard; Johnson, Gareth; Johnson, Joseph; Jones, Andrew; Jones, Mr David; Jones, Mr Marcus; Kawczynski, Daniel; Kennedy, rh Mr Charles; Kirby, Simon; Laing, Mrs Eleanor; Lamb, Norman; Lancaster, Mark; Latham, Pauline; Laws, rh Mr David; Leadsom, Andrea; Lee, Dr Phillip; Leech, Mr John; Lefroy, Jeremy; Leslie, Charlotte; Letwin, rh Mr Oliver; Lewis, Brandon; Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian; Lidington, rh Mr David; Lilley, rh Mr Peter; Lloyd, Stephen; Lord, Jonathan; Loughton, Tim; Luff, Peter; Lumley, Karen; Macleod, Mary; Maude, rh Mr Francis; May, rh Mrs Theresa; Maynard, Paul; McIntosh, Miss Anne; McLoughlin, rh Mr Patrick; McPartland, Stephen; Mensch, Louise; Menzies, Mark; Mercer, Patrick; Metcalfe, Stephen; Miller, Maria; Milton, Anne; Mitchell, rh Mr Andrew; Moore, rh Michael; Mordaunt, Penny; Morgan, Nicky; Morris, Anne Marie; Morris, David; Morris, James; Mosley, Stephen; Mowat, David; Mulholland, Greg; Mundell, rh David; Munt, Tessa; Murray, Sheryll; Murrison, Dr Andrew; Neill, Robert; Newmark, Mr Brooks; Nokes, Caroline; Norman, Jesse; O'Brien, Mr Stephen; Ollerenshaw, Eric; Paice, rh Mr James; Parish, Neil; Patel, Priti; Paterson, rh Mr Owen; Penning, Mike; Penrose, John; Phillips, Stephen; Pickles, rh Mr Eric; Pincher, Christopher; Poulter, Dr Daniel; Prisk, Mr Mark; Pugh, John; Raab, Mr Dominic; Randall, rh Mr John; Rees-Mogg, Jacob; Reid, Mr Alan; Robathan, rh Mr Andrew; Robertson, Hugh; Robertson, Mr Laurence; Rogerson, Dan; Rudd, Amber; Ruffley, Mr David; Russell, Bob; Rutley, David; Sanders, Mr Adrian; Sandys, Laura; Scott, Mr Lee; Selous, Andrew; Shapps, rh Grant; Sharma, Alok; Shelbrooke, Alec; Simmonds, Mark; Simpson, Mr Keith; Skidmore, Chris; Smith, Miss Chloe; Smith, Henry; Smith, Julian; Smith, Sir Robert; Soames, Nicholas; Soubry, Anna; Spencer, Mr Mark; Stephenson, Andrew; Stevenson, John; Stewart, Iain; Stewart, Rory; Streeter, Mr Gary; Stride, Mel; Stunell, Andrew; Sturdy, Julian; Swales, Ian; Swayne, Mr Desmond; Swinson, Jo; Swire, rh Mr Hugo; Syms, Mr Robert; Thurso, John; Timpson, Mr Edward; Tomlinson, Justin; Tredinnick, David; Truss, Elizabeth; Tyrie, Mr Andrew; Uppal, Paul; Vaizey, Mr Edward; Vara, Mr Shailesh; Villiers, rh Mrs Theresa; Walker, Mr Robin; Wallace, Mr Ben; Walter, Mr Robert; Ward, Mr David; Watkinson, Angela; Weatherley, Mike; Webb, Steve; Wharton, James; Wheeler, Heather; White, Chris; Willetts, rh Mr David; Williams, Mr Mark; Williams, Roger; Williams, Stephen; Williamson, Gavin; Willott, Jenny; Wilson, Mr Rob; Wright, Jeremy; Wright, Simon; Yeo, Mr Tim; Young, rh Sir George; Zahawi, Nadhim; Mark Hunter; Bill Wiggin.
Live they ever so long, they cannot repay us for what they have done.
COMMENT: FINANCIAL CRISIS THREAD
When you add these to the infringements of its sister paper The Mail on Sunday, we get a collective guilt of 1218 illicit dealings in personal data by 91 separate journalists belonging to the Mail Group. These statistics dwarf the crimes and misdemeanours of the News of the World, which in 2006 had a recorded 182 incidents by 19 journalists. Doubtless the past five years have seen a steady increase in these illicit dealings, but, pace News International, with total impunity.
But did we really need this information to know that much of the political output was low-grade garbage ... that it should have been ignored and scorned. Did we really need this to tell us that newspapers have for years been missing out on the serious stories, in their never-ending pursuit of tat?
Cranmer cites Ashcroft, who remarks on how many "blind eyes" have been turned. Where was the debate on what is acceptable in satisfying the prurient interest of the public? And where indeed was it? How many bloggers, for instance - and other newspapers - were happy to use the tat and tittle? And still are.
Hey, more than four years ago, I was writing about a fundamentally unserious media. How many of the gobshites, who are so full of themselves now, joined me in that debate? The tarnish spreads far wider than the NOTW. There are a lot of people who need to be doing some growing up, real fast - and some really hard looking in the mirror.
COMMENT: MEDIA THREAD
... some of the grown-ups are beginning to realise that we are in some really deep shit. If there is a constant, here, though, it is always that the so-called experts never saw it coming, said it could never happen, said it was nothing to worry about ...
Before this is over, a lot of people are going to end up very damaged ... and there has to be a reckoning. There always is, and there must be this time. If I were these people, I would be scared ... very scared. When there are enough of us with nothing to lose, then they are no longer safe.
COMMENT: FINANCIAL CRISIS THREAD
That's what it has come to - a once respected newspaper is reduced to sending its girlies down to Whitehall to take dictation.
COMMENT THREAD
It appears that the market refuses to be baffled with bullshit any longer, says Zerohedge, as theGuardian grudgingly diverts its attention from "self", to report some of the details. European leaders, it tells us, "bowed to the inevitable" and conceded that Greece is likely to default on its massive debt burden.
So, for all their high salaries and expenses, their poncy titles, airs and frigging graces, these Mighty Captains of State have finally recognised that which we mere plebs he been telling them since the dawn of time. In the meantime, god knows how many slap-up meals they've had at our expense, how much damage they've done and how much grief they have caused.
And now, with the euro in freefall and these vainglorious poltroons moving on to do their magic elsewhere – is it Portugal or will it be Italy, Spain or even Ireland? – the Failygraph and the rest of the crapedia continue to play their games.
COMMENT THREAD