The Energy Strategy. A small rich tail wags a big poor dog.

So we have it. The Government's energy strategy announced today. Centrepiece is up to 8 more nuclear power stations. And more prospecting for oil and gas in the North Sea, off shore wind, a bit of solar and another look at fracking. Apart from solar these are all very long term projects: they take years to build. But we have not got the luxury of years:

A new flagship UN report on climate change indicating that harmful carbon emissions from 2010-2019 have never been higher in human history, is proof that the world is on a "fast track" to disaster. So António Guterres warned, just this week! CO2 emissions have to start falling by 2025

What's missing from the energy strategy which could have made a real and quick difference? Firstly a four way win by tackling our vast energy leaks from poor home insulation. Such action would reduce CO2 emissions, cut our massive energy bills, create employment and, to some extent, reduce city pollution. Secondly on-shore turbines can be up and running within a year. It's rumoured that both Kwasi Kwarteng and Michael Gove wanted this. But it seems the tail of a few back bench conservative MPs blocked it, thinking, quite possible wrongly, that their constituents opposed wind turbines.

So much for our democracy where, yet again, the views of a minority block what is wanted - and desperately needed, by the majority.