The government’s decision to allow pension funds to dump investments in fossil fuels (Boost for fossil fuel divestment as UK eases pension rules, 18 December) is a major step forward but, with such progress on the issues around “fiduciary duty”, it is increasingly puzzling that MPs are still denied a say over where our pensions are invested – and blocked from holding our trustees to account. Over the last few years, I have repeatedly urged ministers to take action to clean up the MPs’ pension scheme, but they’ve been consistently obstructive. A failure to clean up this fund would be a dereliction of duty.
If the government is serious about handing people control over their investments, they should urgently get their own house in order, by forcing the parliamentary pension fund to be more transparent – and to lead the way by divesting our savings from climate-wrecking fossil fuels.
Caroline Lucas MP
Green, Brighton Pavilion
• The excellent exposé on the appalling deal struck over Hinkley Point nuclear power station (The Long Read, 21 December) goes some way to explaining this government’s hostility to renewables, as in its announcement in the budget of the removal of subsidies from renewables. However, if as renewable energy gets cheaper and cheaper, ministers minds are clouded by the ridiculously high guaranteed “strike price” of £92.50 per megawatt hour for Hinkley generated power, who can be surprised? The government should be looking to get out of nuclear power entirely and join the rest of the world in the renewables revolution.
Paul Donovan
London
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