The Conservatives are running scared. Not from Ed Miliband et al, but in fact from dissenters among their own ranks, and the threat of Tory defectors falling for the charms of UKIP.
While most disenchanted voters tend to find favour with Nigel Farage’s stance on Europe – “We want out. Now.” – there is the chance UKIP’s threat could be affecting energy policy as well.
The Tories have already dropped substantial hints they oppose onshore wind, and their affection for shale gas is well known too. But they (mostly) acknowledge climate change and the impact of carbon emissions.
A quick glance through UKIP’s energy policy shouts that wind power is bad, climate change is not real, and renewables are expensive and cost jobs.
The UKIP solution to combat falling capacity margins and rising prices is three-pronged: British nuclear power; British shale gas; and British coal.
British coal for British power, and to hell with climate change science – they don’t believe it is real anyway, and actually state that higher carbon emissions are good for crop growth and “green the planet”, though the IPCC would not agree.
With the Tories set to finish third behind UKIP in the imminent European elections, they will aim to tempt back voters for the 2015 general election.
This is likely to be with a tougher stance on Europe, but with growing calls to kick wind generation offshore, we have to hope that the manifesto writers at Tory HQ don’t decide to browse Farage’s fantasy energy policy for inspiration.