… on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing

Tag: Ed Miliband

  • Thoughts of the day 21 March 2025 : Climate Change

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    There is a problem with the climate crisis that effects are locked-in before they are noticed. For example, we are basically at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels now but it is likely that 2.0C is already “locked-in” so that if we were to stop all emission of climate gases now, we would still reach 2.0C. This is a serious problem because it means that real, effective change to avoid climate disaster is likely to be to late. That raises the question is it worth the bother trying to prevent further climate disaster and the planet becoming uninhabitable: if it’s wasted effort shouldn’t we just enjoy our final years instead?

    22.35pm GMT There’s more to it than that. There’s the problem that the climate-destroyers are in ascendance and now blatantly disregarding climate destruction. It’s then more of a question should we continue campaigning if we’re not being effective, achieving. I consider that we are achieving and the situation would be worse otherwise. It appears that we are achieving in UK despite Ed Miliband being so taken with the carbon capture false solution promoted by fossil fuels.

    Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy.
    Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy.

  • Miliband urges energy watchdog to act as typical bill could rise by more than £100 a year

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    https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/feb/18/miliband-urges-energy-watchdog-to-act-as-typical-bill-could-rise-by-more-than-100-a-year

    Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has asked Ofgem to crack down on inaccurate and large bills. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images

    Exclusive: Whitehall source expects bills in England, Scotland and Wales to rise by about £9 a month over the next three months

    Ed Miliband has urged the energy watchdog to take swift action as it emerged that the typical energy bill could soar by more than £100 a year amid a rise in global gas prices.

    A Whitehall source said they expected bills in England, Scotland and Wales to increase by about £9 a month over the next three months in another challenge to government plans to tackle the cost of living.

    They blamed volatile global gas prices linked to the end of the transit deal that enabled gas to flow to Europe, through Ukraine, from Russia.

    Miliband, the energy secretary, has written an urgent letter to Ofgem, saying the price rise means the energy regulator must move faster to protect consumers.

    This month, gas prices hit a two-year high, exacerbated by the lack of gas storage in Britain and Europe, combined with colder weather though prices have begun to stabilise. Cornwall Insight, a consultancy which produces closely watched forecasts for the energy price cap, is set to release its latest forecast on Tuesday.

    …

    Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/feb/18/miliband-urges-energy-watchdog-to-act-as-typical-bill-could-rise-by-more-than-100-a-

  • Labour MPs at ‘breaking point’ with Keir Starmer over North Sea row

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    https://www.thenational.scot/news/24909299.labour-mps-breaking-point-keir-starmer-north-sea-row

    The Prime Minister is facing a growing internal backlash from Labour MPs after Treasury sources indicated Rachel Reeves is likely to give her backing for the proposed Rosebank development (Image: PA/Henry Nicholls)

    WESTMINSTER politicians are reportedly at “breaking point” with Keir Starmer over the potential of approving a new oil and gas field in the North Sea.

    The Prime Minister is facing a growing internal backlash from Labour MPs after Treasury sources indicated Rachel Reeves is likely to give her backing for the proposed Rosebank development.

    MPs have reportedly called for Starmer to reiterate his own commitments to no further oil and gas licences.

    Last week a judge ruled the Rosebank development, which was given the green light by the previous Tory administration, as unlawful following a legal challenge brought by Greenpeace and Uplift.

    Previously the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, described the licence issued to Rosebank as “climate vandalism”.

    Reeves is reportedly supportive of a new application for environmental consent for the North Sea development, despite Labour’s manifesto promising not to issue any new exploration licences.

    MPs who are concerned about the climate emergency are reported to be likely to make their appeals directly to Keir Starmer about the importance of being seen to stand by the party’s manifesto commitment of no new oil and gas licences.

    …

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/24909299.labour-mps-breaking-point-keir-starmer-north-sea-row

  • ‘We’d go absolutely nuts’: PM warned of Labour fight if he backs huge oilfield

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    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/31/keir-starmer-warned-against-approving-rosebank-oilfield-labour-unease-heathrow

    [Guardian] Exclusive: MPs and ministers say they would oppose Starmer if he tries to approve Rosebank development

    Senior Labour figures are warning of a serious fight if Keir Starmer tries to give the go-ahead to a giant new oilfield off Shetland later this year.

    MPs and ministers have told the Guardian they are prepared to oppose the UK prime minister should he try and give final consent to the Rosebank development, which is Britain’s biggest untapped oilfield.

    Many in the party see the battle over Rosebank as the next front in the struggle between its environmental wing and those around Rachel Reeves who want to push for economic growth above all else. The chancellor signalled her support for a third runway at Heathrow this week as part of the government’s latest push to stimulate the economy.

    One ally of the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, who is leading the government’s climate agenda, said the former Labour leader would have a “punchy” response for any attempt to give consent to Rosebank. The ally said: “Ed will come to that fight armed with a lot of evidence about what Rosebank will do to our carbon emissions.”

    A spokesperson for Miliband declined to comment.

    …

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/31/keir-starmer-warned-against-approving-rosebank-oilfield-labour-unease-heathrow

    Orcas are pleased that Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are blocked.
    Orcas are pleased that Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are blocked.

  • Ed Miliband and the Labour party full of shit on climate.

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    Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.
    Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.

    Ed Miliband has inspired an article in today’s Guardian: Just Stop Oil ‘alienates people’ from its cause, says Ed Miliband

    I’m not concerned with the headline topic but Miliband makes claims that need to be fact checked:

    “If every country in the world adopted Labour’s position [on deciding not to issue new oil and gas licences] it would have a transformative effect on the debate,” he said.

    Is it Labour’s position not to issue new oil and gas licences? If it is, are they likely to abandon that position since the Labour Party seems to abandon every policy to be more Tory? Why position instead of policy? Because position can be abandoned easier?

    Miliband said the party’s plans to ban new oil and gas licences are “the most progressive position of any major country in the world” but that the transition in the North Sea has to be properly managed to protect those working in existing fields.

    So, it’s already qualified by Miliband in the very next paragraph? “… the transition in the North Sea has to be properly managed to protect those working in existing fields.” sounds like you and the Labour party are full of shit Ed.

    later edit: What about Rosebank? Are the Labour party going to stop Rosebank? The Labour party are definately full of shit on climate if they’re going to let Rosebank continue.

    Rishi Sunak on stopping Rosebank says that any chancellor can stop his huge 91% subsidy to build Rosebank, that Keir Starmer is as bad as him for sucking up to Murdoch and other plutocrats and that we (the plebs) need to get organised to elect MPs that will stop Rosebank.
    Rishi Sunak on stopping Rosebank says that any chancellor can stop his huge 91% subsidy to build Rosebank, that Keir Starmer is as bad as him for sucking up to Murdoch and other plutocrats and that we (the plebs) need to get organised to elect MPs that will stop Rosebank.