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Letters: As power cuts loom, the failure of Britain’s energy strategy is plain for all to see

A a disused gas holder in London - Dominic Lipinski/PA
A a disused gas holder in London - Dominic Lipinski/PA

SIR – With the country potentially facing blackouts this winter, we are seeing the consequences of sacrificing economic prosperity and energy security to the fantasy of achieving net zero and the scam of “cheap” renewable energy.

That our technologically advanced economy, blessed with massive energy reserves, should be in this parlous state is a damning indictment of recent governments.

You’d hope the penny might have dropped that it’s time to change tack, yet instead of ditching the green agenda our MPs seem hell-bent on inflicting more of the same. What will it take to wake them up?

N H Bailey
Stockport, Cheshire

SIR – I hope those who supported the over-eager rush to net zero (Boris Johnson and his green supporters), stopped fracking (Sir Ed Davey) and held back nuclear power (Labour, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and others) will enjoy sitting in the dark this winter.

Of course, they will all try to blame Vladimir Putin.

Mike Metcalfe
Butleigh, Somerset

SIR – My heart sank when I heard the latest suggestion for power saving (“Earn cash by using washing machine at night”, report, October 7). Having washing machines thundering away during the small hours in terraced houses or flats will result in very grumpy, sleep-deprived citizens.

Margaret Forbes
London E1

SIR – When EDF became our electricity supplier, I asked if it had a cheaper tariff for overnight usage (as it does in France).

I was told that this was not possible in Britain. I wonder if it could now be persuaded to change its mind.

Margaret Webster
London SW6

SIR – The Government has decided not to go ahead with a proposed energy-saving campaign. This is short-sighted.

We have reduced our energy consumption by over 30 per cent during the past year, with very little impact on our lifestyle. It is foolish not to teach householders about the easy ways to save both energy and money.

We replaced every light bulb with an LED one, stopped the routine use of our tumble dryer and changed the heating hours of our bathroom. It wasn’t at all painful.

Paul Caruana
Truro, Cornwall

SIR – In every conversation I have it is evident that people are self-rationing their use of energy, to such an extent that there should not be any need for power cuts this winter.

I for one am more than content to sit indoors wearing a coat if it means that the Government can better plan for our future energy security and help to defeat Putin.

Jane Moth
Stone, Staffordshire

SIR – During the 1970s, we had rolling power cuts every day, in three-hour “blocks”.

It was a national emergency, but the country came together. On days when the power was off until 6pm, the church hall, heated by gas fires, was open so that those returning from work could be warm and have a hot drink. On the days when the power went off at 9pm, we simply had an early night.

Yes, life was difficult but we got on with it and helped each other. Everyone co-operated, and people were mostly good-humoured. No one expected to be paid for saving electricity.

Gillian Lurie
Westgate-on-Sea, Kent

Growth at any cost?

SIR – The notion of an “anti-growth coalition” is facile and insulting to Conservatives and many others.

Defending the countryside against unwanted railways and housing estates, protecting wildlife and the environment, and seeking to protect less fortunate members of society are all legitimate and honourable concerns.

Growth at any price is a counter-productive goal.

Nigel Dickinson
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Sepsis blind spot

SIR – In the treatment of sepsis (Letters, October 7), nothing seems to have changed. A few years ago my husband was very unwell. Three doctors saw him over six days and all said he had an infection. His temperature was 42C.

On the seventh day I called an ambulance. He was taken to hospital where a fourth doctor said: “It’s just an infection.” I suggested that it could be sepsis. The doctor returned some time later and informed me that my husband had sepsis.

He spent 10 weeks in hospital.

Carry Hepworth
Petworth, West Sussex

Woke policing

SIR – As a retired detective chief inspector, I have for years advocated scrapping the College of Policing (Letters, October 6).

Its woke outpourings have seriously weakened the police service. It is time to start recruiting for the senior ranks from front-line police officers who understand what is happening.

Philip H Adwick
Caunton, Nottinghamshire

Unfair school system

SIR – In the early 1960s, my primary school had a two-class intake, and I was placed in the “A” stream at the age of seven. There was no provision for movement between the “A” and “B” streams.

Some 80 per cent of my stream went on to grammar school (Letters, October 7), but nobody in the other stream did. They all went to the secondary modern school, and left after O-levels. So the question of whether they would go to university was decided when they were seven years old.

Three of my former classmates did apply to come over to the grammar school to do A-levels, but during the intervening five years they had acquired a different work ethic, and were not capable of keeping up.

Twenty five years later I discovered that my former grammar school, now amalgamated to become a high school “academy”, was the worst performing school in the county.

Any pupil worth their salt would leave after GCSEs and commute 30 miles each way to the next big town to do their A-levels.

Keith Appleyard
West Wickham, Kent

Premium Bond tip

SIR – I can reassure Anne Jappie (Letters, October 7) that she can find out how much her Premium Bond prize is worth without two-factor authentication.

Simply scroll down the NS&I home page to “Premium Bonds: Check if you’ve won” and enter your bondholder number. It worked for me yesterday morning.

What is surprising is that the man at NS&I didn’t tell her this.

Alan Stephens
Lutterworth, Leicestershire

The secret to great television? Here’s a clue

Rupert Davies starred as the detective Jules Maigret, invented by Georges Simenon - Alamy
Rupert Davies starred as the detective Jules Maigret, invented by Georges Simenon - Alamy

SIR – I have been enjoying watching the original series of Maigret on the wonderful television channel Talking Pictures.

It has atmospheric yet unobtrusive background music by Ron Grainer (including the classic once-heard, never-forgotten theme tune) – and crystal clear dialogue. You never miss a word.

It was made in 1961. It seems that television production priorities have gone backwards in the last 61 years.

Geoffrey Nobes
Locks Heath, Hampshire

Shelf shock

SIR – My luxury yogurt has increased in price this year from 65p to 90p, English butter from £1.49 to £1.99, fresh orange juice from £2 to £2.99, crisps from 90p to £1.25, two baguettes from £1.20 to £1.50 and bleach from 45p to 60p.

While some may question the contents of my shopping basket, few can disagree that these increases are somewhat higher than the headline inflation figure of 9.9 per cent.

Paul Vince
Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire

SIR – I have just paid £22 for a sack of wild-bird seed, which a month ago cost me £17.

Do I blame Kwasi Kwarteng, Vladimir Putin, the summer drought or just fall back on that old faithful, Brexit?

Gareth Burnell
Hindringham, Norfolk

Rugby played properly

SIR – Terry Lloyd (Letters, October 6) suggests that research shows “a clear link between playing rugby and suffering serious brain disorders”.

As a former schoolboy rugby coach, I can tell him that it is not the playing of rugby but the clashing of heads that is the problem. The suggestion that clashing heads is inevitable is simply untrue. Careful and proper coaching of youngsters, boys and girls, would ensure that the problem is virtually eradicated.

R G Inches
Birmingham

BBC soft power

SIR – I couldn’t agree more with Susan Lowther (Letters, October 6) that the BBC World Service, which faces cuts, needs to be cherished.

It’s a national treasure, and the Government should indeed step in to help. It is a source of soft power across the world.

However, I can’t agree that the BBC should be a subscription service. We all need the news it provides.

Charlotte Smallwood
Farley, Wiltshire

Rare name

SIR – A few days ago I renewed a subscription and had to spell out my first name (Features, October 7) to the young man taking my details. He’d never heard of it.

Patricia Broadley
East Grinstead, West Sussex

Every last drop

SIR – I understand that Jack Russell, the notable artist and former Gloucestershire and England wicketkeeper, made one teabag last an entire Test match (Letters, October 7).

Apparently, after every use, he would hang it on a peg in the dressing room.

Peter Lapping
Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire

SIR – I have verified the claim by the makers of Yorkshire Tea that two good cups are obtainable from a single teabag, which reinforces my long-held belief that “One per person plus one for the pot” was simply a mantra promoted by unscrupulous tea merchants as a way of boosting sales.

John Godfrey
Hitchin, Hertfordshire

SIR – I drink my tea from a large white bone china mug at work.

In order to discourage my colleagues from using this mug I cultivate the tea stain.

Susan Whitehead
Bath, Somerset

SIR – My wife and I drink black tea and have a mug staining problem with modern mugs – though not with older ones.

Colin Stone
Colerne, Wiltshire

SIR – My mother used to kill two birds with one stone by soaking her dentures in tea-stained mugs to which Steradent tablets were added.

The teapot escaped this treatment. I think she feared a denture might get stuck.

Peter Saunders
Salisbury, Wiltshire

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