OLD SCHOOL TIE IS MORE IMPORTANT TO LEADERS

WHO is the government listening to? Not the citizens who elect them – it seems the old school tie is more important.

We do need a strong economy, but one fit for the 21st century with less polluting fuels, more efficient products that use less energy, and good quality food available to everyone.

We’re never going to get this if the government only listens to old industries unwilling to change.

The oil industry is losing out to renewables, but rather than speeding up change they are cancelling green initiatives and concentrating on getting concessions from our energy minister.

The gas boiler industry has been presented with an achievable transition to heat pumps but they reacted by arbitrarily increasing the cost of gas boilers and then falsely arguing that it was necessary, blackmailing the energy secretary to grant a delay.

The car industry had a long-term plan to gradually introduce electric cars, but this has been put back, causing confusion to drivers and investors, due to lobbying by a few firms who gambled on hydrogen fuels and now find themselves at a disadvantage in the EV market.

Food companies managed to derail every recommendation by the Food Tsar appointed to advise on children’s health and reducing obesity and therefore the strain on the NHS, he resigned in disgust.

Bad landlords have successfully lobbied to avoid having to improve properties for tenants, and to retain no-fault evictions to remove those who ask for repairs, or question excessive rent rises.

It goes on and on.

We could be proud of their economy and its world-beating companies; we need energy security and falling prices; we deserve clean air, affordable food and longer, healthier lives; we deserve comfortable and secure housing.

This will become harder and harder to achieve if we allow the old vested interests to block every regulatory change that’s designed to give us a flourishing economy.

It’s time to change the record in government.

Emma Tsoneva