Green Sammy's debut
Sammy Wilson fielded questions today for the first time as Environment Minister. Having spent so long watching Sammy engaging in rhetorical flourishes whilst asking questions, it didn't seem right to watch him conveying civil service answers to MLAs. But yes, unionism's answer to Boris Johnson has, like Boris, made it into the corridors of power. Incongruous, but true.
Of course Sammy put his own particular stamp on the proceedings, joshing the self proclaimed Guardian reading David Ford and fielding a suggestion from Paul Butler that he could be turning into a "tree-hugger".
Indeed indications of worrying liberalism on Sammy's part have come my way. A contact pointed out that our minister is a signatory to a parliamentary early day motion 893 on Rainforests and Climate Change. The EDM expresses concern at the "alarming rise in deforestation rates in the Amazon rainforest over recent months" and " further notes that deforestation already accounts for 20 per cent. of global carbon dioxide emissions each year and that curbing deforestation is one of the single most effective ways of halting catastrophic climate change". And I thought Sammy didn't believe in this stuff and nonsense...
However my faith in his climate change sceptic credentials was slightly restored when I saw that he has also signed EDM 850, calling on the British pub industry to ignore calls for a ban on patio heaters. Now that's more like the non-green Sammy we know so well.
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Did you know that Sammy used to have an Allotment?
Who says he isn't GREEN
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Mark,
Glad to read that someone on the floor of Stormont is capable of rhetorical flourishes since the majority appear unable to speak without the assistance of their sheets of A4.
As for their vocal delivery and "stage" presence some would clearly benefit from joining the cast of the deputy speakers theatre group up there in Coleraine. Then again no one could write a better comedy fiction than Stormont!
Re #1 ...wonder if Sammy grew green beans on his allotment!!
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