Davidson scolds Peston for laughing as she explains energy crisis ‘It’s a serious point!’
Ruth Davidson says wind may be contributor to energy crisis
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Ruth Davidson defended business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on ITV’s Peston Tonight, insisting that the Government had a grip on the escalating energy crisis. The former Scottish Conservative party leader explained that there were things out of Britain’s control and listed factors that had sparked the extraordinary peaks in prices of gas and electricity. However, during her explanation of the crisis, which could hit household budgets, Robert Peston burst out laughing, prompting a stern rebuke from Ms Davidson.
Mr Peston asked: “Do you think the Government has a proper grip on this?”
The former Scottish Conservative party leader responded: “I think Kwasi Kwarteng has been working his absolute backside off.
“He has already negotiated with Norway to increase the gas flow from there.
“There are things that are out of his control. There is a worldwide shortage and the demand has gone up as people come out of Covid.”
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She continued: “Russia has constrained supply into Europe, and the fact that the wind has dropped.”
This prompted Mr Peston to laugh, leading Ms Davidson to respond: ” It sounds like a fictitious point but last year was the first year that wind was the biggest supplier of electricity in this country so there are loads of things that are out of our control.”
The ITV political host acknowledged: “It is a serious point, I completely understand.”
The recent average wind speed in the UK has been one of the slowest on records, largely thanks to a freak anticyclone that has hovered over Europe since mid-August.
More energy suppliers set to fail warns expert
This has led to calmer weather and lower wind speeds, draining power production.
In the third quarter of 2020, a whopping 22 percent of all the UK’s power came from wind turbines in the sea and on land – more than nuclear power and coal put together.
Overnight, two more energy suppliers – Avro Energy and Green – collapsed due to the crisis engulfing the sector.
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The suppliers, which had served more than 800,000 customers, means that seven energy companies have gone bust in just six weeks.
Energy prices have jumped 47 percent in the UK since the start of September – the highest in Europe.
Mr Kwarteng has warned the Government had to prepare for “long-term high prices”, and would consider “all options” to tackle the crisis.
Boris Johnson, speaking in New York, said the crisis was the “growing pains of the global economy coming back to life”.
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