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United Kingdom: Ex-environment minister hits back at politician ‘armchair hydrologists’
Posted by Guardian: Patrick Wintour on February 13th, 2014
Guardian: A former Conservative environment minister who has been criticised along with the Environment Agency for mismanaging flood prevention has hit back at what he described as "politicians seeking to become armchair hydrologists".
Richard Benyon has been accused by some south-west MPs and the communities secretary, Eric Pickles, of blocking dredging on the Somerset Levels during his period as environment minister.
Writing for the Guardian, Benyon said he was "uncomfortable with those that reach...
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United Kingdom: David Cameron promises to help flood victims on visit to Somerset
Posted by Guardian: Patrick Wintour on February 7th, 2014
Guardian: The prime minister, under growing pressure for not visiting the flood-hit Somerset levels, finally made a trip to the area on Friday where he vowed to do everything he could to help.
On his visit in the company of the local Bridgwater Conservative MP, Ian Liddell-Grainger, David Cameron said: "Clearly people here faced a very tough time and continue to face a tough time, and that is why we have got to do everything we can to help.
"So more pumps – we brought in more pumps; more help from the...
UK: Fracking Will Meet Resistance from Southern Nimbys, Minister Warns
Posted by Guardian: Patrick Wintour on August 5th, 2013
Guardian: The energy minister Michael Fallon has warned privately that fracking might soon face fierce resistance from the middle classes in Conservative heartlands as he heralded further exploration across swaths of southern England.
Fallon, a strong supporter of shale gas extraction, told a private meeting in Westminster: "We are going to see how thick their rectory walls are, whether they like the flaring at the end of the drive."
Fallon, who is MP for Sevenoaks in Kent, said exploratory studies for...
United Kingdom: Fracking will meet resistance from southern nimbys, minister warns
Posted by Guardian: Patrick Wintour on August 4th, 2013
Guardian: A warning that fracking may soon lead to fierce resistance from middle-class southern nimbys has been given by the energy minister Michael Fallon.
Fallon, a strong supporter of shale gas, told a private meeting in Westminster: "We are going to see how thick their rectory walls are, whether they like the flaring at the end of the drive."
Fallon, who is MP for Sevenoaks in Kent, said exploratory studies for fracking were already poised to start in the north of England and were set to spread the...
United Kingdom: Energy secretary says shale exploration won’t lead to era of cheap gas
Posted by Guardian: Patrick Wintour on November 28th, 2012
Guardian: Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, has warned supporters of shale gas that it may take many years for substantial exploration in the UK, and predicted it would not lead to an era of cheap gas.
Davey was speaking to the Guardian ahead of publication of the energy bill on Thursday and promised that he had weapons he could use if there was a danger his policies were locking too much gas into the energy mix.
It is expected that the chancellor, George Osborne, will publish a strategy...