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Liz Truss has ruled out launching an energy-saving public information campaign amid warnings planned three-hour power blackouts could be imposed in some areas.

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg is believed to have backed a £15m campaign this winter, with The Times reporting the idea was blocked by No 10.

It said the campaign was seen as “light touch” and included measures designed to help people save up to £300 a year, which included lowering the temperatures of boilers, turning off radiators in empty rooms and advising people to turn off the heating when they go out.

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The paper quoted a government source describing the campaign as a “no-brainer” and saying No 10 had made a “stupid decision,” but it added Ms Truss is said to be “ideologically opposed” to such an approach as it could be too interventionist.

Asked to comment on the report, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy issued a statement on behalf of the government in which it insisted ministers are not launching a campaign and “any claim otherwise is untrue”.

Ms Truss earlier sought to downplay concerns, though stopped short of explicitly offering a guarantee of no blackouts.

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The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) warned households and businesses might face planned three-hour outages to ensure that the grid does not collapse in the “unlikely” event gas supplies fall short of demand.

A government spokesman said: “The UK has a secure and diverse energy system.

“We have plans to protect households and businesses in the full range of scenarios this winter, in light of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

“To strengthen this position further, we have put plans in place to secure supply and National Grid, working alongside energy suppliers and Ofgem, will launch a voluntary service to reward users who reduce demand at peak times.

“We will continue to work internationally on tackling rising energy prices and ensuring security of supply, but there are no current plans to follow the EU’s decision.

“However, ministers are not launching a public information campaign and any claim otherwise is untrue.”

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Risk of emergency gas shortage

The concern over planned blackouts is reminiscent of the 1970s response to the miners’ strikes and oil crisis.

The Three-Day Week was introduced from 1 January 1974, with commercial users of electricity being limited to three consecutive days of consumption each week, with pubs and restaurants closed on quiet days and TV companies barred from broadcasting after 10.30pm.

Essential services such as hospitals, supermarkets and newspaper printing presses, were exempt.

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1970s Public Information Film, courtesy: National Archives

The lights will stay on this winter unless the gas-fired power plants that produced 43% of Britain’s electricity over the last year cannot get enough gas to continue operating.

The margins between peak demand and power supply are expected to be sufficient and similar to recent years in the National Grid ESO’s base case scenario for this winter.

But in the face of the “challenging” winter for European energy supplies in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the grid operator is planning for what could happen if there were no imports of electricity from Europe.

There are two gigawatts of coal-fired power plants on standby to fire up if needed to meet demand following a loss of imports from France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Ms Truss, pressed to guarantee there will be no blackouts, told reporters during a visit to the Czech Republic: “What we’re clear about is that we do have a good supply of energy in the UK, we’re in a much better position than many other countries, but of course there’s always more we can do, and that’s why I’m here working with our partners, making sure we do have a secure energy supply into the future.”

Ms Truss added: “We do have good energy supplies in the UK, we can get through the winter, but of course I am always looking for ways that we can improve the price for consumers.

“That’s why we put in place the energy price guarantee as well as making sure we have as much supply as possible.”

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More jail time for criminals who refuse to attend sentencing hearings

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More jail time for criminals who refuse to attend sentencing hearings

Criminals who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings will face further punishment under a new law.

The government is introducing the Victims and Courts Bill to parliament today, which will include more jail time or loss of privileges in prison in England and Wales for criminals who refuse to attend court for sentencing.

Several high-profile offenders have refused to face victims’ families, sparking a public outcry and calls for a change in the law.

The families of murdered primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, law graduate Zara Aleena and mother-of-three Jan Mustafa have all campaigned for the change after their killers were absent from sentencing hearings.

Ms Nessa’s sister, Jebina Islam, Ms Aleena’s aunt, Farah Naz, and Ms Mustafa’s cousin, Ayse Hussein, said: “This move holds offenders to account.

“It sends a clear and necessary message: the justice system is not something you should be able to opt out of.

“It is not about punishment through force – but about ensuring that perpetrators cannot remove themselves from the consequences of their actions.”

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Sabina Nessa was on her way to meet a friend when she was killed.
Image:
Teacher Sabina Nessa was killed by Koci Selamaj in 2021 after he drove to London to assault a stranger

They said the legislation is a “step in the right direction” and the proposed punishments indicate it is “being taken seriously”.

The trio added: “This change supports victims and society alike. It shows justice being done.

“It gives families a moment of recognition and a form of reparation. It is a moment of reckoning for the convicted.”

Under the new legislation, judges will be able to sentence offenders for up to two more years in prison for avoiding justice.

Those already facing lengthy imprisonment or whole life orders could have a range of prison punishments, such as confinement to their cells and being stripped of privileges, such as extra gym time.

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Former Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak had pledged to change the law after meeting the mother of murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, and Sir Keir Starmer promised to enact it.

Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Image:
Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed by Thomas Cashman, who refused to attend his sentencing hearing in 2023

Thomas Cashman, the gunman who killed Olivia as he chased a drug dealer who had run into her Liverpool home, did not appear in court to hear his life sentence in April 2023.

Earlier this year, triple crossbow and knife killer Kyle Clifford refused to attend his sentencing when he received a whole life order.

Southport child murderer Axel Rudakubana was removed from his sentencing hearing for repeatedly shouting in January.

Sabina Nessa was on her way to meet a friend when she was killed.
Image:
Teacher Sabina Nessa was killed by Koci Selamaj in 2021 after he drove to London to assault a stranger

Undated family handout photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of Zara Aleena. A sexual predator who stalked and murdered Zara Aleena is set to challenge his sentence at the Court of Appeal. Jordan McSweeney targeted at least five women before he turned his attention to 35-year-old Ms Aleena as she walked home from a night out early on June 26 2022. Issue date: Friday October 20, 2023.
Image:
Zara Aleena was killed by Jordan McSweeney, who should have been recalled to prison at the time. Pic: PA

Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: “I would like to thank the remarkable families of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Jan Mustafa, Sabina Nessa and Zara Aleena and countless others who have campaigned tirelessly for offenders to have to face the reality of their crimes by attending their sentencing.

“Justice isn’t optional – we’ll make sure criminals face their victims.”

The bill also says it will restrict parental responsibility from child sex offenders who commit serious crimes against their own children.

The powers of the Victims’ Commissioner will also be strengthened to require them to produce an independent report on whether agencies are meeting their statutory duty over the Victim’s Code to hold the government to account.

Child protection charity the NSPCC backed the move, saying they hope it will improve how young victims and survivors are treated, but said it was “not a complete solution”.

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Teenagers to drive trains due to concerns over labour shortages

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Teenagers to drive trains due to concerns over labour shortages

Eighteen-year-olds will be allowed to drive trains due to concerns over labour shortages, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

The current minimum age for someone wanting a career on the railways is 20.

But with 87% of night-before cancellations made because a driver is unavailable, the government has decided to lower the age of entry by a couple of years.

Several operators rely on drivers to work extra shifts voluntarily.

At present, the average age of a British train driver is 48, while 30% are due to reach retirement age by 2029.

A consultation on lowering the minimum age for drivers, carried out last year by the Conservative government, received “overwhelming support from across the industry”, the DfT said.

Other nations which have lowered the age for train drivers are France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, officials added.

Transport for London opened driver apprenticeships on the Underground to 18-year-olds in 2007.

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Training to drive mainline trains generally takes between one and two years.

Assessment and qualification standards will be unchanged.

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Industry body the Rail Safety and Standards Board said its research had shown 18-year-olds are “capable of safely becoming train drivers”.

New job and apprenticeship opportunities could be available as early as December, the DfT said.

Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said the government was “future-proofing” the railways against “delays and cancellations caused by a shortage of drivers”.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of train drivers’ union Aslef, said: “At the moment, young people who want to become train drivers leave school or college at 18, get other jobs, and we miss out as an industry as they don’t wait around until they turn 20 to find a career.”

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Customer stabbed to death inside Lloyds bank in Derby – as two men arrested

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Customer stabbed to death inside Lloyds bank in Derby - as two men arrested

Two men have been arrested after a customer was stabbed to death inside a Lloyds bank.

The victim – a man in his 30s – was attacked at the branch in St Peter’s Street, Derby, at around 2.35pm on Tuesday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, Derbyshire Police said.

A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of murder, while another man in his 30s is being held on suspicion of assisting an offender. Both remain in police custody.

They were detained around 6pm at the same property in Western Road, Normanton.

Detective Inspector Tony Owen said: “No one else was hurt and while the investigation is at an early stage, at this time we are treating it as an isolated incident.”

The victim has not yet been formally identified, but police said his family had been made aware.

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A Lloyds spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened by the incident at our Derby branch and our thoughts are with those affected.

“We are supporting our colleagues during this difficult time and will co-operate closely with the police.”

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