Three years ago, on this day, February 7, 2023 – another departmental recombination…
Feb 7 2023 The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was established on 7 February 2023 by a cabinet reshuffle under the Rishi Sunak premiership. The new department took on the energy policy responsibilities of the former Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The department’s first Secretary of State was Grant Shapps; he was previously the final Secretary of State at BEIS. The current secretary is Ed Miliband. The department is scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee.
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 421ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures.
The broader context was that those running the UK Government periodically like to rebrand and reshuffle their departments. There can, of course, be very sound reasons for this. Other times, it’s to allay public concern, or take the wind out of opponents sails etc.
The first “Department of the Environment” was founded in 1970 (A Wilson idea that the Heath Government continued with after the Conservatives staged a surprise win).
The specific context was that by 2023 the wheels were falling off the whole “Green Industrial Revolution” stuff that Boris Johnson had been promising. So, throw the pieces in the air, see what comes down.
What I think we can learn from this is that reshuffles can “work.” Time tells, as she almost always does.
What happened next: “Red Ed” (reader, he’s not that red) Miliband has been beavering away, and drawing endless ire from the tabloids and the Telegraph (though, to be fair, the Telegraph is basically a tabloid now).
What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.
Also on this day: