The difficulty with Parliament is that it crams in a week of drama into one day. This is not a good way of working. It does not bring the best out of Westminster. My last column, just a fortnight ago, seems a political age away.
Let’s start with the new Chancellor. In Jeremy Hunt, I believe we have given credibility to the financial markets. This was badly needed at the beginning of this week. As I have written previously, cutting taxes is something I instinctively agree on. It’s your money, you earn it. However, to do so when there is already a large black hole in Government finances, and with many who do not pay tax feeling squeezed, was neither fiscally nor politically sensible. These policies have largely been reversed. It’s vital that the financial markets, from where Government borrows money, have faith that we can pay it back and not living beyond our means.
We also have a new Home Secretary. On this, it is hard to work out what has occurred. It seems that Suella Braverman broke the Ministerial Code, by having Government business on a private phone. She seems to then write that she is resigning because she disagrees with Government policy.
On Wednesday, there was confusion over a vote which had been called by the Labour Party. For a number of times each year, the opposition parties have the chance to table a motion which is debated and voted on. The Labour Party opted to put down a motion which, if passed, would have given them the opportunity to pass legislation. No Government, irrespective of political party, enters office to allow the opposition set the agenda. We were, rightly, told to vote this down.
The proposed law itself related to not being able to frack for shale gas. On this, I also disagreed with the motion. We have one shared earth. It’s all well and good to say we should not use fracked gas but we do already; it comes to the UK on tankers. We import gas from many countries who would either seek to do our country harm or persecute people on the grounds of religion, gender, race or sexuality. Given it’s one earth, are other countries fracking as safely or considerately as we do when we extract from our 120 onshore gas and oil sites (many across the Weald basin)? On this basis, I don’t have an issue with at least looking under our feet and seeing what is there and whether we can get it out safely. The Climate Change Committee has said we will still be using gas in 2050. If the behaviour of Putin has taught us one thing, it is to be more self-sufficient on energy.
As I write this, I am not sure whether those who voted against their own Government will be disciplined. I didn’t see much of a ruckus in the division lobby. This was mainly because I went through as the division bell rang. I then learned that the Chief Whip had resigned but, as I write this, she appears to be in post.
What all of this does demonstrate is that you are all being let down by people who should be putting public interest before personal ambition or frustration. I am sorry about this. I may have voted for Rishi Sunak, and I am pleased that his ideas appear to now be the policies which the Government is pursuing, but Liz Truss is the leader of our Government and I have respect for the office holder. These are difficult times for our nation. We have international security and peace concerns as well as cost of living concerns. Now, more than ever, we need to stick together and lead from the front.
I have my own opinions but I have, thus far, not taken to the airwaves to broadcast them because I don’t think it helps. Instead, I get my head down and I work. I had a packed debate on Sewage Discharges last week with some great ideas for change aired. My Select Committee has heard from the new Secretary of State for Transport as well as the Rail unions, Network Rail, Avanti West Coast, Ports of Dover and Felixstowe, Airlines and Airports. We are focussed on getting a better deal for you on transport.
Who knows what will have occurred by the time this column is printed.
I hope for calm.
