Gordon Brown’s decision to create a new department of Energy and Climate Change and place one of his most talented protégés in charge of it is a sign that Labour plan to make a major push on the issue. This should worry the Tories.
Tory energy policy is far too woolly at the moment; the party has still has not decided where it stands on nuclear power. Alan Duncan, for all his energy expertise, has not provided the intellectual leadership that the Tories desperately need on the issue.
There will be a temptation for the Tories just to move up one of the shadow DEFRA or BERR team into this new role. That would be a mistake—none of them have the political skills needed for this new role. Liam Fox has made a string of thoughtful speeches on energy security but is unlikely to want to move from defence. So, the leadership should look to some of the most talented people below shadow cabinet level to fill this post.
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