Guy Opperman Profile picture
Sep 20, 2019 5 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Why #WorldWar1 + the 1919 #Forestry Act show why #Northumberland leads the way on forestry and #climatechange: A thread:
... We all agree we need to plant more #trees 🌲🌲🌲
to combat climate change + also because forests / timber is vital to both our enjoyment + economy 1/ Image
In 1919 the country was short of wood = a national emergency. #Northumberland land around Kielder Castle, just south of Scots border, was identified + soon after planting began on an ever expanding basis.The #kielderforest is the biggest in UK + growing with recent additions /2
100 years ago, our island was less than 5% #woodland.
Good news = woodland today covers nearly three times as much land, at 13 per cent, and is probably as wooded as days of yore.
Bad news = we still import more #timber than we grow = bad business + bad for #climatechange 3/
Yes Brazils logging + other countries matter (as does our own behaviour) but we need to plant more Kielder Forests in the UK + take renewed approach as 1919 Act. The full story of the #forestry act and its consequences is here 4/ researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefi…
The way ahead is a modern 3rd sector /Forestry Commission, Central, local + devolved govt (+ private sector)to work together. See below ⬇️ for #Hexham forestry summit held in July @EGGER_UK 👍⬇️

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More from @GuyOpperman

Jul 31
Thread 🧵 on the Labour reduction in #WinterFuelPayments.

I was the Minister in charge of this policy at DWP from 2017-2022. Labour are making a big mistake 1/
Firstly an explainer of our benefit system. It is a big beast made up of 12+ ageing computer systems and 1000s of admin staff. It does not do nuance and fine margins. The state pension and add on benefits - winter fuel payment, Christmas support etc are one off payments 2/
Over the last few years the Conservatives Government added an extra £300 extra cost of living winter fuel payment support to all pensioners, meaning they got £500-£600 WFP.This is also not being renewed by labour. So the £500-600 loss to a pensioner on state pensions is huge. 3/
Read 12 tweets
Oct 7, 2022
Fully behind an #energysaving campaign. The energy war of Putin means this is a worldwide problem.

Reduction in energy helps constituents save money, &saves the taxpayer money, as public sector should lead the way. Reduce usage, while we address supply. Government must act 1/
The obvious reductions pursued by France, Germany & others in public sector are:
- no public buildings warmer than 19C
- turn off overnight lighting of buildings / ads etc
- turn off hot water for hand washing / public spaces
All basic but simple stuff to help supply issues 2/
This is not Nanny state.
It is preserving supply, saving money for everyone, and encouraging localism. The example of Germany, which is in a massive energy crisis way way worse than UK, is worth following 3/

bbc.com/news/business-…
Read 6 tweets
Sep 26, 2022
The PM & Chancellors Budget Bazooka - and the new ESG.
A thread 🧵 1/
To paraphrase M and S that was no “ordinary”mini budget. It was the Full Monty.
We have a new ESG

Energy support ✅
Scrapping tax rises ++✅
Growth ✅
2/
Energy:
The biggest thing in the budget.
The key to everything this winter is #energysupport. Without it, lots of businesses go under, we have a big recession, huge personal debt.

On top of @RishiSunak £37 Billion spring package, the PM/Chancellor have stepped in to help👍⬇️ 3/
Read 16 tweets
Jun 14, 2022
Serving as Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion over the last five years has been the greatest honour of my professional life.

A 🧵 on some of what we have achieved.
We have lifted automatic enrolment workplace pensions to 8% savings per annum.

More than ten million savers have been auto enrolled into a workplace pension, with the biggest increases for young people and women.
We passed the Pensions Schemes Act through Parliament.

The Act has secured our pensions on an ongoing basis and has made them safer, better and greener.
Read 13 tweets
May 12, 2022
🧵 on climate change, emerging markets and specific UK 🇬🇧 action using workplace pensions to finance the change, and get returns for members 1/
For a year + I have been working with the @churchofengland Pension Board, and others, to see how we can unleash the productive power of UK pensions in support of the climate transition in emerging economies, while also delivering sustainable returns for members. It’s doable 2/
but hard. I am particularly grateful to Adam Matthews and David Hickey who I have been discussing this with in particular, not least on their #TalkingResponsibly Podcast. This led to a major conference at Church House on April 20th. We spent several hours debating the issues 3/
Read 6 tweets
Apr 13, 2022
Like many of the UK I spent the covid lockdown shielding as I was immunocompromised, following a racing fall as a steeplechase jockey which ruptured my spleen.
In Summer 2020 I could not attend the NHS hospital with my wife as she cared for our children. Sadly, the twins died 1/
and I was only allowed into hospital as the first child’s time was ending.
This was on compassionate grounds.
I say this as we have to accept that the findings against political leaders, and others, for breach of lockdown rules matters. Covid was an awful time in many ways 2/
and many of us are still trying to come to terms with loss, bereavement, and sadness.

To deny the upset caused by breaches of the covid rules would be wrong, and it is right that that there have been unreserved apologies. It is patently clear that the police consider that the 3/
Read 9 tweets

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