It is reported that energy minister John Hayes has been moved from his position. He will now be working alongside David Cameron in Number 10.
Hayes' seemed very sceptical of the green policy when he arrived, although his tone became much more green during his tenure. I'm struggling to put my finger on anything he did to change the insane course of government energy policy.
His replacement is Michael Fallon, who Guido suggests is from the same somewhat sceptical mould as Hayes:
Just last week Fallon asked whether “specific targets, for example on climate change, are the best way of focusing our spending where it is most needed”. Nonetheless a blow for wind campaigners…
I imagine, however, that he will be as powerless to change anything as Hayes was.
Bishop Hill
Greenpeace's Joss Garman begs to differ, tweeting as follows:
I think its significant that in opposition Fallon authored a Private Members Bill specifically to drive investment in renewables.
Bishop Hill
Jonathan Leake agrees:
Michael Fallon in Opposition described the renewables sector as “the work force of tomorrow"
Personally speaking I think politicians say anything that will get them elected, so we should probably not be reading too much into these kinds of quotes.