Oh no, not another UK energy minister shoved out through the revolving door and another sucked in.
What is it about energy ministers in this country?
The life expectancy across the past 16 years averages barely a year, given that the latest appointment brings the dismal tally to 14.
The fall guy this time is Tory Michael Fallon, who has been asked by Prime Minister David Cameron to tack energy on to his brief in the business department.
The hapless John Hayes, who took six months to come to Aberdeen following his appointment in September and who hated windfarms, has been made the PM’s senior parliamentary adviser.
Basically that means a bag carrier of some sort; otherwise described as a minister without portfolio because they haven’t a clue what to do with him.
Not that anything about the switch was mentioned by UK Government ministers Vince Cable, Ed Davey and Michael Moore yesterday morning when they announced their new oil and gas industrial strategy/respect document.
That nothing was divulged about the sacking of Mr Hayes and elevation of Mr Fallon is in my view disrespectful of the industry. So, good start, gentlemen.
The question now becomes, how long will Mr Fallon last in the new role?
I suppose this depends on how well he gets on with his boss, Energy Secretary Ed Davey, with whom Mr Hayes locked horns over windfarms.
Mr Cameron came under fire in September, for the shock decision to sack Charles Hendry, who visited Aberdeen 10 times in the two-and-half years he was energy minister. Mr Hendry later revealed to the Press and Journal that Mr Cameron had told him he needed to bring in “new, young talent”. He was just a year older than his successor.
Mr Hayes was embarrassed into coming to Aberdeen for the first time following an editorial in the February edition of the P&J supplement, Energy. He shot up to Europe’s energy capital early this month on Mr Davey’s coat-tails.
He then pledged to the P&J that he would visit Aberdeen more often than Mr Hendry. Oh yes?
Our advice to Mr Fallon is to beat a path to Aberdeen . . . and fast. A little grovelling would not go amiss.
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