UK needs full control of its energy supply

IF one makes a prediction, ignored at the time, and it then comes true, there is usually satisfaction – but not in this case. Months ago this page lamented the stupidity of Angela Merkel in closing down Germany’s home-based energygeneration industry to import oil and gas only from Russia. Result? Knock-kneed Germany became the main funder of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and remains so even now. A token offering of clapped-out tanks without ammunition does not even begin to compensate. We very nearly went the same way.

We still bow to the eco-wallies in refusing to start fracking even though we know limitless energy lies beneath our feet. We haver and dither over one new North Sea oil/gas well or re-opening one coal mine. Summer is upon us with its mild breezes and wind farms will not cope.

We have no choice. When this crisis is over our government must get off its backside and bring all our energy needs within the ambit of British sovereignty. But will it? As usual it looks as if some kind of bomb will be needed inside the pinstripe trousers to get really dynamic measures out of this lot.

SURELY there can be no truth in the rumours in Whitehall that Sir Stephen Lovegrove, former perm sec. at the Ministry of Defence (who advocated the downscaling of our defences) now bizarrely elevated to National Security Adviser, counselled appeasement towards Putin over Ukraine? It is already well known that this arch-EU fanatic proposes our subsummation into the European Defence Union. But a velvet-gloved attitude to Putin? Surely not?

The sooner we see the return to the Tory top table of former Brexit chief negotiator Lord (David) Frost the better. Boris Johnson, who led the Brexit campaign and has been staunch in his support for Ukraine at every level, really needs a solid pro-Britisher at the top of the National Security Council.