The roots of Liz Truss’s political tap dance over an energy campaign this week can be traced to the dying days of Boris Johnson’s regime.
On a sweltering Thursday in mid-July, a collection of weary suits was jolted from a post-lunch stupor at a conference in Oxford. A civil servant working in energy policy was asked whether the government was likely to launch a public information campaign on energy use this winter, with concerns over the fallout from a reduction in Russian gas supplies already mounting despite the heatwave.
The official said the issue was being discussed in Westminster but argued that “people are fatigued with being told what to do”.
“With Partygate it was clear that we were saying one thing and doing another and that feeling is still there,” she said. The thinking was clear: after repeated Covid lockdowns the public had had enough of edicts from No 10.
Three months later and attention has swung from turning up the air conditioning to turning down thermostats, and whether a concerted push to cut energy use could help prevent winter blackouts.
Truss is in the crosshairs after it emerged she blocked plans for a £15m government campaign to encourage the public to reduce their energy use, despite concerns from National Grid that there could be three-hour power cuts this winter in extreme circumstances. The row has all the hallmarks of the early Truss era: flip-flops, confusion and an ideological struggle informing decisions that affect people’s everyday lives.
Informal discussions with the government about how to talk to the public about the energy crisis have rumbled on for weeks. Despite widespread concern in Europe over energy supplies, amplified after suspected Russian sabotage on gas pipelines, Britain’s lack of reliance on Russian gas was publicly cited as a reason for confidence.
Yet the government’s determination to put credo above common sense has divided ministers. In late August the then chancellor Nadhim Zahawi dared to say: “The reality is that we should all look at our energy consumption. It is a difficult time. There is war on our continent.”
The response? A spokesperson for Johnson said these “remain decisions for individuals”. On the leadership campaign trail, Truss ruled out energy rationing in the final Tory hustings.
And so to a week that began with a U-turn on scrapping the 45p tax rate and ended with another U-turn on plans for an energy rationing campaign.
As Conservative MPs met in Birmingham, detailed plans were firming up in government on an energy push that would actively encourage households to turn down appliances and conserve power. “Conversations have hardened up in the last couple of weeks,” said one industry source. “The government looked at what was happening in Europe and realised it might be prudent to consider the message.” (Italians have been asked to turn down their central heating; Finns to spend less time in the sauna.)
A key question emerged over who the message should come from: last year suppliers including Ovo Energy were hauled over the coals for offering trite tips such as cuddling pets to keep warm. Sources said the format of any campaign was still being discussed but could include using a text service run by National Grid to contact households about cutting power use. The service is normally used to alert people of scheduled maintenance or outages related to storms.
On Tuesday, Liz Truss delivered her interrupted party conference speech with the message: “I’m not going to tell you how to live your life.” Her business secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg, appeared to have the definitive word on the subject. At a fringe event on Tuesday night, he said: “I think the price signal is pretty strong … So I’m not sure we need to tell people to do things that are obvious. I’m not in favour of condescending government assuming people are stupid. Voters know what they need to do and don’t need me to tell them to do that.”
Despite his unequivocal tone, sources close to the discussions on Wednesday morning were adamant that a government drive to encourage energy efficiency remained on the table. The Guardian published a report on Wednesday that ministers were discussing a campaign, and included detailed initiatives under consideration. Ten hours after being asked for comment, the business department eventually said that it would not be launching a rationing campaign: “There are no plans for the government to tell the public to reduce usage for the sake of our energy supplies. The UK has a secure and diverse energy system, and we are confident that the steps we are taking will protect security of electricity and gas supplies.”
By Thursday lunchtime, National Grid had issued its annual winter outlook, warning of an unprecedented situation and the potential for rolling blackouts this winter if Vladimir Putin pulls the plug on the continent’s gas. Concerns were immediately raised that lives would be lost this winter.
So why no campaign? The word from No 10 on Thursday afternoon was it wasn’t being shunned for ideological reasons but instead that the public trusts third party experts, and the government instead planned to “signpost” trusted sites like Ofgem where households could get information and tips.
By Friday morning, The Times reported that Rees-Mogg had in fact given the green light to a £15m energy saving campaign at some point this week, but it was blocked by Downing Street. It reported the “light touch” campaign would include lowering the temperature of boilers, turning off radiators in empty rooms and advising people to turn off the heating when they go out. Health officials warned against advising turning down thermostats over fears about elderly and vulnerable people.
Climate minister Graham Stuart, sporting a bright spotty tie, did the morning broadcast round refusing to rule out winter rationing and saying an information drive would be the action of a “nanny state”. He told Sky News: “The idea there was some highly developed campaign … passionately devoted to and No 10 nixed it, I don’t recognise that.”
Whatever the truth behind the latest episode of flip-flopping, see-sawing and U-turning, Truss now faces calls from senior figures within her own party to help households navigate a grim-looking winter. Perhaps she’ll prove she is for turning, once again. If not, and power cuts do hit, expect the backlash to be furious.
