I had high hopes for what I dubbed the “South West Powerhouse” back in 2015, when I attended the launch of Molly Scott Cato’s “The Power to Transform the South West” report in Glastonbury. Here’s Molly, the then Green Party MEP for South West England, describing that vision from the podium:
After the presentations were over I bumped into a researcher from the University of Exeter, who didn’t look very well. I enquired after his health, and he explained that it wasn’t a physical problem. It had just been announced that the then Conservative / Lib Dem coalition Government had published its so called “Productivity Plan“, which claimed to be:
Creating a more prosperous nation.
The plan included the following weasel words:
The government does not intend to proceed with the zero carbon Allowable Solutions carbon offsetting scheme, or the proposed 2016 increase in on-site energy efficiency standards.
An unfortunate side effect of the cunning Conservative plan was that the vehicle-to-grid pilot project at Cranbrook that I’d just been discussing with Molly was instantly consigned to the recycle bin of history. Hence I wrote the first of several subsequent “open letters” to Mel Stride, recent candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party and my then Member of Parliament:
https://V2G.co.uk/2015/07/an-open-letter-to-mel-stride-george-osborne-david-cameron-et-al/
Much more recently I found myself on stage at the Everything Electric North event in Harrogate, where I exhorted to audience to “get out and vote!”, a message echoed by presenter Robert Llewellyn:
Lots of people did just that, and there is now a new administration in Westminster. What’s more much of the south west peninsula has turned from blue to orange and red on the electoral map:
There’s even a small patch of green just out of picture; Carla Denyer’s seat in Bristol Central.
On Friday the BBC reported that:
Business leaders and politicians have put their cases for a South West powerhouse to the government.
The Great South West Partnership has brought together leaders from industry, politics and academia to work on promoting Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset as one unit on the national stage.
The partnership believes the region could be a leading force in issues of defence, energy and food production and is holding a conference with 500 guests expected.
Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State for Industry, was the keynote speaker at the conference, which was held at Sandy Park, home to the Exeter Chiefs rugby team…
Ms Jones told the conference the potential of the power industry was “huge” if people worked together.
“The innovation, the ideas and potential is huge,” she said.
“I think the best way to realise that potential is for people to work together so they can make the case for growth, innovation, and reform. I think that is really important.“What is really clear is there is a lot of potential we could be unlocking here.”
I have some innovative ideas that I’d love to discuss with Sarah and/or her team. I left a message on her voicemail on Friday, but she hasn’t got back to me yet.
To be continued…