After being caught allegedly offering to advise energy companies for cash, Conservative MP Tim Yeo has bowed to the inevitable and stepped down as chair of the energy and climate change committee. It’s true, as Fraser Nelson argues, that his appointment was wrong to begin with. Yeo is a paid director of three renewable energy companies – AFC Energy, Eco City Vehicles and TMO Renewables – and has earned more than £400,000 from the sector since 2009. If that isn’t a conflict of interest, then nothing is.
But if Yeo isn’t fit to lead the committee then neither is the man the right wants to replace him: Tory MP Peter Lilley. After criticising Yeo’s business interests, Nelson wrote: “It’s not yet clear who’ll replace him but Peter Lilley, who is more of a climate realist, is the likely candidate. And a recent Spectator cover boy“, while Guido Fawkes tweeted: “I for one welcome Peter Lilley as our new Energy and Climate Change Select Committee Chairman. Thanks to Labour for getting rid of Yeo.”
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