Liz Truss has done it again by blocking an energy-saving campaign: right idea, wrong time

The prime minister thinks government should ‘get out of the way’ – the voters don’t (always) agree, writes John Rentoul

‘There ought to be a law’ and ‘the government ought to do something about it’ are two of the most powerful reflexes in popular policy making (Reuters)

It is hard to know which is more surprising: that Jacob Rees-Mogg, defender of individual freedom, should propose a £15m government advertising campaign urging people to use less energy, or that Liz Truss, a prime minister at bay, should block it.

Truss would be right to argue that everyone is well aware of the energy crisis and is already taking advice from the real prime minister, Martin Lewis of the Money Saving Party, on how to cut their gas and electricity use.

But there are two good arguments for a government campaign. One is that humans are surprisingly malleable and that exhortations from public authorities do affect behaviour. Even a small change in energy use can make a difference across a whole population, and any further reduction would mean a significant saving in taxpayer subsidy for energy prices.