It’s rare that I am ahead of my time, but less than a year ago I wrote a blogpost titled TIM YEO: THE UNACCEPTABLE FACE OF CONSERVATISM. I wrote…

I have always found Tim Yeo’s interest in climate change and green issues a tad hypocritical bearing in mind the amount of time he spends flying round the world playing golf. But it appears it goes deeper than that. Yesterday I dug out his entry in the latest Register of Member’s Interests. I print it below. I haven’t bothered to add up all his outside earning from companies associated with energy renewables but it must be in excess of £90,000. Just what does he do for these companies? How does he justify his £300-£400 hourly rate?
To be fair to Mr Yeo, and I like to be, as you know, he fully declares all his outside earnings and he was elected as chairman of this committee when his colleagues knew full well what his outside interests were. But I am afraid it still stinks. I interviewed Labour MP Barry Gardiner on my programme about this last night. He’s a member of Yeo’s committee and seemed entirely relaxed about it. He said that Yeo had offered to withdraw from questioning when this subject came up in front of the committee. The committee didn’t accept his offer. Mr Yeo has done nothing wrong. Under the rules he is perfectly within his rights to do this. But it seems to be a massive error of judgement on his part to think that he can both take the money and remain as chairman of this committee. And let’s not forget, he gets an extra sum from the taxpayer for chairing the committee too!

A few months later I said something disobliging about him on my LBC show. He rang me to protest. I wasn’t in much of a mood to back down and reminded him that it is not just wrongdoing which the public hate, it’s the perception of wrongdoing. And the fact is that trousering money from firms which have a direct interest in the subject area of which he is a Select Committee chairman, regardless of whether it is declared, is perceived by many to be questionable, even if it is within the rules.

Today, the Mail on Sunday reveals he has written to the Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey complaining that Lord Deben (the artist formerly known as John Selwyn Gummer) has outside interests which could affect his position as chairman of the Committee on Climate Change…

The committee was given to understand that Veolia was not an energy company, and that Lord Deben would not retain links with energy companies .  .  . But, as is clear from Veolia’s website and annual report and accounts, the company has a significant role in the field of energy. The lack of clarity on this specific point has caused ongoing media criticism .  .  . the reassurances you have given are not sufficient to effectively address the perception of conflict of interest in the public domain.’

Yes, you might well be open-mouthed. Me too. How can anyone be so brazenly hypocritical? Bearing in mind his own list of interests in energy and green companies (see his register of members’ interests entry HERE) you wonder how he squares that with his chairmanship of the Energy & Climate Change Select Committee, don’t you?

The new Sunday Times allegations speak for themselves. Yeo denies he has done anything wrong, yet the video recordings would seem to indicate something rather different. He denies he coached a Eurotunnel executive before a select committee hearing, yet there he is on the video confirming he did just that. In that event, it is surely now incumbent on the members of the Energy & Climate Change Select Committee to call him to account and hold a vote of confidence. That is the least they can do.

If the select committee doesn’t act, surely the Conservative chief whip must. It is inconceivable to me how he can explain his way out of this one. If he can’t, surely the whip must be withdrawn.

The case for a law allowing voters to ‘recall’ their MPs becomes ever stronger, doesn’t it?

  • graphic courtesy of Guido Fawkes. In the circs I’m sure he won’t mind.