ALEX BRUMMER: Miliband’s nuclear button is missing

Meanwhile, Ed Miliband has been silent on new nuclear. Speaking to nuclear industry leaders this week, the Energy Secretary said ‘nuclear offers huge opportunities for our clean energy mission’.

It’s all amazing. However, the snail’s pace of British governance, which the Prime Minister praised in his speech on December 5, is still in trouble.

There are serious questions about Miliband’s commitment to the nuclear power project. If the UK is to be secure in its energy supplies, and is to keep seducing the Pacific, then a nuclear warhead is needed.

The lights are supposed to stay on and the electric vehicle network is energized.

In addition, there will be enough new electricity to power data centers if Britain embraces the intelligent and digital age.

Miliband has bought time by extending the life of the old kit in Heysham, Hartlepool and Torness.

That makes sense, because the decision on new nukes is slow. The country is dependent on old plants, which are often closed for safety reasons.

The Energy Secretary said Sizewell C was confident of receiving £2.7 billion of government funding, announced in the Budget, to push developments forward.

Approval will have to wait until Rachel Reeves’ spending review and it will be delayed until June 2025.

Meanwhile, the government in Prague and Rolls-Royce are moving forward with the deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), using turbines pioneered in UK aircraft.

Britain is in a slow process of grappling with global trade before allowing the national champion to move forward.

SMRs represent a possible part of the UK’s green manufacturing transition. The horse has been locked in Denmark for wind power, Sweden and Poland for heat pumps and China for solar panels.

If SMRs come into effect in the fourth industrial revolution, Britain should take a leaf from the Czech and US approach and continue to do so.

A decision is promised in the spring. What are we waiting for?

Do it right

Amanda Blanc wasted no time in toeing the Straight Line to do something.

If it gets regulatory approval, Aviva will be quick to hold the reins to the car insurance pioneer, which is the first UK insurer to see the opportunity to go direct to the customer rather than using it. merchant

Aviva will pay £3.61billion using £1.75billion of cash and company shares.

Unlike many recent proposals in the UK, the transaction does not involve taking on a mountain of debt. The details of the implementation of the offer are unclear, but it is expected that the HQ of Direct Line will be removed and the policies and management will be moved to the Aviva platforms.

There may be no room for Direct Line CEO Adam Winslow and senior colleagues, who are expatriates from Aviva.

Winslow can take comfort in the fact that his incentive shares are set, and could be worth £3million.

Aviva-Direct Line’s action will be taken into account by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the legitimate concern that the presence of more stock in the market will result in higher prices.

Aviva is confident it can demonstrate to the CMA that there is serious competition in the auto and home insurance markets.

When examined by category, such as EVs, women and motorists, there is no problem. But be careful.

Rayner wins

In August last year, I was given a tour of the famous Marks & Spencer fashion store on Oxford Street.

I’ve said before that Britain’s best retailer is doing a creative disservice.

After inspecting the site, with its layers of industrial archeology and leaky storage rooms, it was found to be unfit for purpose.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner deserves credit for delivering a three-year rebuilding programme.

M&S’s next step is to find a new home for the restaurant and it looks set to dismantle one of its biggest stores.