6 NEWS Politics
THE WEEK 7 May 2022Controversy of the week
The energy war
Not so long ago, “the game of energy poker being played by
Europe and Russia, though dangerous”, seemed under control,
said The Economist. Despite having imposed sanctions in most
sectors, Europe carried on buying energy from Russia, which
provides over 40% of its gas and 25% of its oil, while Russia
raked in billions in revenues. Yes, the rhetoric was escalating- and Moscow had demanded that all payments be made in
roubles, in contravention of EU sanctions, to prop up its
currency – but “each side thought the other lacked the guts to
go all in”. Then, on 27 April, Russia “upped the ante”. When
Poland and Bulgaria missed the deadline for paying in roubles,
the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom cut off their
gas supply. This week, Europe also took a momentous step,
said Andrew Gray on Politico. The European Commission
proposed a total ban on Russian oil. Subject to approval by
member states, crude oil would be phased out over six months, and refined products stopped by the
end of the year. “Let’s be clear: it will not be easy,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The energy war will hurt Europe much more than Russia, said Philip Pilkington on UnHerd –
particularly the countries that are “on the front line”. Neither Bulgaria nor Poland are rich, and both
have their own currencies. If their energy markets collapse, they will face price hikes and rolling
blackouts, a recipe for ultra-high inflation. The real crunch point will come in mid-May, said Daniel
Boffey in The Guardian, the next major date for payments for gas by European energy companies.
There is “no alternative” that could fully compensate for the loss of Russian gas. If Moscow cuts
it off altogether, it is widely predicted that Europe as a whole will face recession. The oil embargo
should be easier to handle, said the FT. Europe has the rest of 2022 to “engage in intensive diplomacy
to secure alternative supplies”, and the pain for Moscow will be considerable. Oil is its biggest earner,
and 70% of it goes west. It will struggle to find new markets, and tankers willing to carry its oil.
Nevertheless, there’s a definite risk that higher prices could “crash the world economy”.Europe has to face up to hard choices, said The Daily Telegraph. Either its economies take a hit,
or Ukraine’s suffering increases. “The most perverse response” to the invasion has been to target
individual Russians, while still topping up the Kremlin’s war chest by buying its oil and gas. But there
are clear signs that even the nations most dependent on Russian energy, such as Germany, are willing
to grasp the nettle. The price of defying Putin is a rocketing cost of living, said Martin Sandbu in the
FT. Western politicians will have to tell their people that we’re now in “something like a wartime
economy”. We must both protect democracy, and create an energy system that is cleaner, and not
reliant on our enemies. “This is a task our generation must carry out for the sake of the next.”Will Russia turn off the tap?Spirit of the age
Good week for:
Neighbours fans, with news that Jason Donovan and Kylie
Minogue, both 53, have agreed to return to the soap that
launched their careers more than 30 years ago. Their characters,
Scott and Charlene, who were last seen in Ramsay Street in the
late 1980s, will appear in the final episode of Neighbours, which
is due to cease production in June.
Cuckoos, after a male named PJ flew a total of 60,000 miles over
six migrations, a record for tagged members of the species. Each
July, PJ leaves King’s Forest in Suffolk and heads to its wintering
grounds in the rainforests of the Congo basin.Bad week for:
Andrew Lloyd Webber, who announced the imminent closure
of his new musical Cinderella, only a year after it opened in the
West End. Current and future cast members were informed hours
before the news went live. Some, who were not reached, said
they’d found out that they were losing their jobs on social media.
The Scottish census, which received so few responses that the
deadline for returning the form had to be extended by a month.
Despite repeated reminders, and threats of a £1,000 fine, almost a
quarter of households had yet to return their forms last week,
with three days to go before the original deadline.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, with reports that Netflix has
dropped her planned animated series as part of a cost-cutting
drive. The series, Pearl, was said to focus “on a young girl’s heroic
adventure as she learns to step into her power and finds
inspiration from influential women throughout history”.Cancer referrals record
A record 2.7 million people in
England have been referred
for cancer checks in the past
12 months, the NHS said
this week. Having dropped
sharply in 2020, numbers
are now roughly 16%
higher than they were pre-
pandemic. Peter Johnson,
NHS England’s national
clinical director for cancer,
said that around 11,
people were being tested
every day, but that “nobody
would say for a moment we
are where we would like to
be”. While referrals are at
record highs, some 30,
people who need treatment
haven’t yet started it, and the
proportion of patients being
seen for diagnostic tests
within the target waiting time
of two weeks is at a record
low of 83%, compared with
91% pre-pandemic.Refugee legal action
Home Secretary Priti Patel
has been threatened with
legal action over delays in
issuing visas to Ukrainian
refugees. Two campaign
groups have said they are
preparing a class action suit,
alleging that the mismanage-
ment of the Homes for
Ukraine scheme is
endangering refugees, and
“adding trauma to trauma”.
According to official figures,
only 15% of the 74,
Ukrainians who have applied
for visas under the scheme
have arrived in Britain.Poll watch
About four in ten British
households are struggling
with their gas and electricity
bills; nine in ten say their
living costs have risen. 42%
of adults think they won’t be
able to save any money in
the coming year, up from
34% in November.
ONS/Financial TimesMost British adults of all
racial backgrounds oppose
giving police more stop and
search powers. However,
opposition is highest among
black Britons, with 66%
opposed and 25% in
support. Among white
Britons, 48% are against
expanding stop and search,
while 36% are in favour.
YouGov/The IndependentMore than a quarter of
British adults say they feel
more creative than before
the pandemic began.
Censuswide/V&AA new “aesthetic” – dubbed
Coastal Grandmother – has
been identified as this year’s
most aspirational lifestyle
trend. Inspired by older
female characters in various
Hollywood films, it is said
to be about projecting a
wholesome but expensive
seaside vibe. Think Diane
Keaton repotting her plants
on a scrubbed pine table, or
Oprah Winfrey, dressed in
crisp white linen, relaxing
outside in a wicker chair.Trainee midwives at
Edinburgh Napier University
were advised that although
most of the time a “birthing
person” will have female
genitalia, they might find
themselves caring for a
“birthing person” who is
transitioning from male to
female, and who still has
“external male genitalia”.
The guidance has since
been amended.