O/T net zero=net loss

[UlleyMiller]

There is no easy answer.

Correct.

There are complex answers. There are answers which ruffle feathers of those who politicise the subject. There are no easy answers. Other issues also fall into this category, but political leanings seem to drive opinions more than they should.

[KerrAvon]

What is so bizarre,is that we are importing oil from Norway, who are are drilling in the same North Sea,where this stupid govt.have stopped us using the reserves that are our own.Absolute bonkers!!!!!!

I thought my point was pretty obvious. The last few days have demonstrated the risk posed to our economy by our reliance upon a finite resource that is subject to a high degree of price volatility. Surely you can see the sense in moving away from that, irrespective of whether you choose to ignore the overwhelming scientific consensus on the risk posed by climate change?

The government isn't stopping us from using our reserves. As I mentioned to Howdy, we are currently ranked about 25th in the world for oil production and around 20th for gas production. The reality, however, is that the North Sea party is over. Production peaked in around 1999 and we became a net importer of oil and gas in 2004, so if you don't want to import from Norway (who mainly sell us gas btw), we would still have to import from elsewhere

[KerrAvon]

There is no easy answer.

I agree with both you and Ulley. The move away from fossil fuels isn't going to be cheap or easy, but reality dictates that it has to happen given that both are finite resources.

[KerrAvon]

Should have had a Sovereign Wealth fund set up years ago, Norway & Gulf countries. We could have set our own prices up and not under the world prices.

We used our North Sea earnings to fund tax cuts instead of using it to invest in the future well being of the country.

[MillerBill]

We used our North Sea earnings to fund tax cuts instead of using it to invest in the future well being of the country.

"tax cuts"? You must be on another planet.This country has seen taxes go up to such a high level we are all getting poorer and poorer and it keeps going on.What about cutting the welfare benefits of people not entitled and use that for the proper handicapped sufferers who have a genuine need for help.The system is getting abused at such a massive level and until that gets sorted out there will be no growth at all in this country.

[Townerslovechild]

I suspect the tax cuts he spoke of were years ago.
Right now we are beholden to the middle east for our fuel, which given the obvious fragility of that region can make life in Britain very uncertain,especially with the orange 🍊 moron in America.

[UlleyMiller]

"tax cuts"? You must be on another planet.This country has seen taxes go up to such a high level we are all getting poorer and poorer and it keeps going on.What about cutting the welfare benefits of people not entitled and use that for the proper handicapped sufferers who have a genuine need for help.The system is getting abused at such a massive level and until that gets sorted out there will be no growth at all in this country.

Would you be in favour of pension increases being capped at the levels employees (tax payers) receive? Routinely around 1-2% for many who aren't on NLW. That would save a fair bit.

State pension has risen way above that:
2026/27 (Projected): 3.8%
2025/26: 4.1%
2024/25: 8.5%
2023/24: 10.1%
2022/23: 3.1%

[great_fire]

Getting lots of electricity today but you can't rely on the wind, and we don't get enough sun for solar, should never have demolished the coal-fired power stations until new nuclear ones had been built.

Zealotry and virtue-signalling over common sense from both the Tories and Labour.

[howdydoo]

Getting lots of electricity today but you can't rely on the wind, and we don't get enough sun for solar, should never have demolished the coal-fired power stations until new nuclear ones had been built.

Zealotry and virtue-signalling over common sense from both the Tories and Labour.

Don't worry when it's not windy or the suns not shining we can use all the power we've stored.

I don't know what the pesky oil companies were doing when licenses were available. There's no oil there so why there was high demand for them, I've got no idea. Not to mention, everyone telling us we're on the brink of WW3. Who needs to give any 2nd thought to our energy security. Not us it seems.

I've heard the car industry are on the cusp of rolling out solid state batteries in the next 2 or 3 years. Brilliant news. I hear they will provide a range of 1000km+.

Do you know whilst all this technology is being developed it makes sense to rely on energy sources that have powered the world throughout history. The Chinese get it. The Yanks get it. Not us it seems.

I thought Kerr was a legal expert. Not an energy expert. This afternoon, I reckon he'll be a welfare expert. You watch.

[animallittle3]

We used our North Sea earnings to fund tax cuts instead of using it to invest in the future well being of the country.

I'm not sure that's the full story Kerr , whilst Thatcher did cut income tax and corporation tax she compensated for that by raising VAT .

Thatcher had a hefty welfare bill to service on account of throwing a few million on the dole and I suspect that's where our oil revenues were directed .

Either way it's another example of the UK and quick fixes , something we seem to excel in but it eventually catches up with us .

Like appointing someone who can charm the Trump administration for instance knowing full well he's a bit of a wrong un .

For an intelligent and educated man your old mate ain't half lacking in common sense .

[avondalemiller]

I'm not sure that's the full story Kerr , whilst Thatcher did cut income tax and corporation tax she compensated for that by raising VAT .

Thatcher had a hefty welfare bill to service on account of throwing a few million on the dole and I suspect that's where our oil revenues were directed .

Either way it's another example of the UK and quick fixes , something we seem to excel in but it eventually catches up with us .

Like appointing someone who can charm the Trump administration for instance knowing full well he's a bit of a wrong un .

For an intelligent and educated man your old mate ain't half lacking in common sense .

We can see how JSO would have sorted it out for us, lights would have been off for certain......lol

[MillerBill]

UK gas is four times the cost of US gas.There is no world price for gas by pipe.Domestic gas down a pipe is cheaper than imported liquefied gas.Why is this government allowing the multi millionaire maniac Milliband to pursue this insane ideology of chasing his impossible dream of net zero? He doesn't care about the cost we taxpayers are being punished and making us poorer by the day.Businesses are going bust through their excessive heating bills and unemployment keeps on rising.It's absolute bonkers !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brin]

and they said close all the coal mines.....let's go green.

USA, China, India and whoever else just put two fingers up to us all and carry on burning fossil fuel and they don't give a damn and push further on in both development and wealth.

Like it's been said, all the money, and we're talking billions not millions, that's been spent going green has got us where?

[millersrus]

I suspect the tax cuts he spoke of were years ago.
Right now we are beholden to the middle east for our fuel, which given the obvious fragility of that region can make life in Britain very uncertain,especially with the orange �� moron in America.

The orange moron will look after American first.
The US consumers are subject to the oil price shock, however we are subject double whammy of a price and supply shock.
We have our own energy in the North Sea, and yes it is finite and so yes we need to move away from a reliance on it. It’s not rocket science. But before we shut it down we need to have the alternatives in place.
The chimps we elect and the self proclaimed climate saviours however think they know better.
Happy to use the oil from someone else’s back yard and conveniently gloss over the boundary less exhaust fumes produced in their righteous crusade. Green, absolutely green.
North Sea windfall squandered over many years on benefits and subsiding unproductive people living beyond their means.
No easy answer to it?
Ask a Norwegian.

[Timbertop]

After May look forward to to Prime Minister Rayner and Chancellor Silliband. God help us . Took a bit of persuasion but now totally convinced only Reform can save our country.