CLAIRE Coutinho has been named as the UK’s new Energy and Net Zero Secretary.
It comes after Grant Shapps left the role in order to replace Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary.
Coutinho has served as the MP for East Surrey since 2019 where she won almost 60% of the vote.
Prior to her career in politics, she worked in investment banking and as a special adviser to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the Treasury.
READ MORE: Home Office rejects MPs' call for safe drug consumption rooms
Her arrival comes amid accusations that Sunak and his ministers are rowing back on environmental commitments and net-zero aims, with critics hitting out at plans to grant new licences for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea.
It remans to be seen if her arrival brings any great change in policymaking.
She recently made clear her objection to the expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone in London, joining other Tory MPs in calling it a policy “clearly rejected by the people” during this summer’s Uxbridge by-election, and labelling it a “tax on those who can least afford it”.
Coutinho has long been a familiar face in the Conservative circles.
The daughter of doctors from India, she started her career at the Merrill Lynch investment bank before leaving the City and joining former party leader Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice.
Her new role as Energy Secretary is likely to be her biggest test yet.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel