The UK climate minister, who recently said not all fossil fuels are ‘devil’s eggs’, has received campaign donations from one of the UK’s largest fuel distributors and aviation consultants and recruiters. It became clear.
Beverley and Holderness Conservative MP Graham Stewart was appointed climate minister by Rishi Snack in September. He is responsible for Net Zero Strategy and Low Carbon Generation and is his leader in the Clean Heat Commons.
During his brief tenure as climate minister, Stuart argued that new oil and gas licensing would be “environmentally good” and said recently that all fossil fuels should not be “viewed as devil’s eggs”. , confused some people.
In 2019, it was revealed that Stuart had received a £10,000 donation from JR Rix & Sons towards his re-election campaign.
The JR Rix & Sons group of companies includes Rix Petroleum, Rix Heating, which specializes in the supply and maintenance of oil tanks and boilers, Rix Shipping, which operates oil tankers, and one of them, Maritime Bunkering. Largest supplier of marine fuels in the Humber Estuary.
In addition to its fossil fuel-focused subsidiary, Rix said it is also involved in offshore wind farm maintenance and carbon measurement, and is developing capabilities in low-energy lighting, solar and electric vehicle charging. .
In addition, Stuart received a £2,000 donation from Hull-based aviation consultancy Boston Airlines. Boston Airlines says it is unlikely Britain’s climate policy will affect the company’s operations, as 95% of its sales are in overseas markets.
The government said Stuart had publicly declared a donation for election expenses in line with the normal process.
The revelations, a matter of public record, come shortly after Stuart told the all-party congressional environmental group that he firmly backed Cumbria’s new coal mines and the latest oil and gas licensing round. was broken
In supporting the latter, Stuart said fossil fuels need to be viewed more nuanced, “rather than seeing all fossil fuels as the product of the devil.”
At the same conference, he believes there will be “time for climate skeptics” and that they shouldn’t be “kicked out of the conversation.”
At the beginning of the talks, he called on the UK to “double down its efforts to reduce greenhouse gases”, saying that “climate change is a global problem and we will not succeed unless we work together”. added.
A JR Rix & Sons spokesperson said:
“This business also supports Graham Stewart in his role as Climate Minister. As a diverse group of companies, JR Rix & Sons Ltd is deeply involved in the renewable energy industry, providing alternatives to traditional hydrocarbon fuels. We are actively promoting low-carbon HVO as a clean alternative.”
Rix is also a leading manufacturer of holiday homes and lodges, which it said “offers an opportunity for people to enjoy a luxury holiday in the UK and avoid the carbon footprint of flying”.
“As a company with a 150-year history of thriving through innovation, JR Rix & Sons Ltd will continue to invest in renewable fuels and technologies to help the UK reach its net-zero goals.”
Boston Air Group Chief Executive Mark Parks, who made a personal donation of £2,000 to Stuart in January 2020, said: base.
“He has been involved in numerous initiatives locally and when he was on the Education Choice Board, he did a lot to improve engagement between local schools and businesses. still has 27% of its headquarters team educated at Beverly schools today.
“While he was in international trade, he actively supported the ultimately unsuccessful effort to maintain what was known as the AUG license (German labor lease license). Leaving the EU. ”
A government spokesperson said:
“It is not uncommon for ministers to receive contributions in their capacity as parliamentarians, and we have well-established processes in place to manage conflicts of interest.”
