While supporters of the £165 million deep coal mine near Whitehaven say it will create jobs and help power the UK’s steel industry, environmental campaigners say it would undermine the government’s commitment to meeting climate targets. On the eve of the long-awaited announcement, Boris Johnson faced a cabinet mutiny. An email was sent at about 3.30pm. of that day, saying that the decision had been postponed. A few hours later, Michael Gove, the secretary who was to make the decision, was sacked. One is expected later this month, but no one is holding their breath. “We don’t have a functioning government,” said Kate Willshaw, policy officer at Friends of the Lake District, which opposes the plan for the UK’s first deep coal mine in 30 years. “Nothing happens on time. It’s a mess.” The turmoil and delay in the department is reflected across Whitehall as the country is tipped to slide into one of its worst economic crises. Civil servants had to deal with mass ministerial resignations, a lame-duck prime minister and a protracted leadership campaign. An Observer analysis reveals that in more than half of key government departments, ministerial announcements have been withdrawn at short notice, legislation has stalled and deadlines have been missed for the publication of policy papers. One of these was a white paper with proposals to reform gambling legislation. It was due this summer but has now been postponed. The charity Gambling with Lives, which supports and campaigns for families affected by gambling-related suicides, attacked the decision, warning that “tens of thousands more people will be hurt and some will die”. Proposals to reform gambling laws have been withdrawn, which could lead to more suicides among gambling addicts. Photo: Islandstock/Alamy New legislation for an internet safety bill to protect children has also been put on hold until a new government is formed. The aims of the bill are to prevent the dissemination of illegal content, including images of child abuse, terrorist material and hate crimes. The NSPCC, the child protection charity, said last week it was concerned the delay could lead to the bill being weakened despite years of failed self-regulation by the tech giants. Sir Peter Wanless, the chief executive of the NSPCC, said: “There can be no more important mission for the Government than to protect children from abuse and the next Prime Minister must deliver the Internet Safety Bill as a national priority ». At the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the jobs bill first promised in December 2019 appears to have been shelved. It was intended to introduce flexible working, better support working families with childcare and strengthen workers’ rights after Brexit. The department has also delayed a business strategy aimed at boosting private investment and encouraging entrepreneurship. Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, had hoped to deliver the plan in early 2022, but the Financial Times reported earlier this year that work has “stalled” on the strategy. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was criticized earlier this year for failing to introduce several bills promised to protect wildlife and the environment. They include plans to ban the use of peat in horticulture to protect valuable peatland habitats and achieve net zero targets. At the Department of Health and Social Care, rules banning multi-buy offers on food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have been delayed for a year in light of the “global economic situation”. At HM Treasury, a review of alcohol tax is no longer expected until the autumn. At the Home Office, a review by former Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross into the Prevent programme, which aims to stop people being drawn into terrorism, has yet to be published – despite terms of reference saying it would be brought to parliament by December 31 2021. The assessment is believed to have been submitted to the Home Office at least three months ago Thangam Debbonaire, the shadow leader of the Commons, said: “As if the collapse of the economy wasn’t enough, Boris Johnson’s zombie government is asleep at the wheel while the country grinds to a halt. The non-government Conservative government is delaying major projects, missing deadlines and once again failing to keep the promises they made.” A government spokesman said she “should be judged for her actions on the British people. The Prime Minister remains focused on advancing his commitments to the public.”
