Three pieces in @Telegraph today, two in @TheSun, and Jacob Rees-Mogg all cheerleading ‘gas, gas gas’ – during an energy price crisis caused by gas dependence, which increasing gas production cannot solve
The short version: gas extracted in British fields doesn't belong to Britain, it's owned by commercial companies who sell to the highest bidder. No way to change that except by export controls or public ownership - good luck with either of those
Production in UK would always be tiny compared to Russia etc who can and do manipulate supply and prices for political reasons
Put those two things together and it's blindingly obvious that increasing gas production in UK would make no difference to security of supply or price for British consumers
Bemoaning the low cost of gas in US is irrelevant - the gas market isn't entirely global yet, restricted by LNG infrastructure. If it were global (which it probably will be) US consumers would be paying the same as everyone else
This is a short-term price crisis that is going to hurt whatever options ministers take. Beyond this winter, cutting energy waste and adopting cheaper alternatives to gas is very clearly the way to go
If you don't believe me, ask Steve Holliday who ran National Grid for 12 years eciu.net/insights/2021/…
Seriously: drill baby drill? As Theresa May might put it: have you not been paying attention to facts; or have you not understood them; or have you decided facts are for little people?
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