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“Leadsom is also a vocal supporter of fracking”
The fallout from the EU referendum continued as prime minister Theresa May restructured Whitehall and formed her own Cabinet with a brutal reshuffle. Out went many Cameroons and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (see p18). In came the Brexiteers and the Department for Business, Energy & Industry Strategy.
One move that got lost among the “dead Decc” and “sorry about Boris” headlines was former energy minister from the now-defunct Decc, Andrea Leadsom, was appointed environment secretary. She arrived at Defra having admitted her first question when appointed to Decc was “is climate change real?”. She has since said she is convinced it is.
Leadsom is also a vocal supporter of fracking and has supported motions to sell off the UK’s publicly owned forestland.
A committed Brexiteer, she will have to contend with a department that looks to the EU for many of its water and environmental regulations. How this will sit with someone who sees Brussels as “meddling in British affairs” remains to be seen.
What will be vital is how she guides the department and water sector through the exit negotiations. Will she seek bespoke UK drinking water and environmental standards or follow the EU’s lead? Will she press ahead with domestic water competition, having pushed to boost competitiveness in the energy market?
The answers to these points are unknown. What is more certain is that the new secretary of state has plenty to keep her busy in her new role.
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