Zeus: Politics, pubs and energy security as UK election nears

A potential British election before the U.S. presidential one in November provides clues about the voter priority of climate change.

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(David Callaway is founder and Editor-in-Chief of Callaway Climate Insights. He is the former president of the World Editors Forum, Editor-in-Chief of USA Today and MarketWatch, and CEO of TheStreet Inc. His climate columns have appeared in USA Today, The Independent, and New Thinking magazine).

LONDON (Callaway Climate Insights) — London has no shortage of historic pubs, but when it comes to UK politics, The Red Lion in Westminster has always stood out.

Standing two blocks from Big Ben and only a stone’s throw from 10 Downing St., the pub which traces its roots back centuries has been a favorite haunt of the modern political class for decades. Churchill drank here, as did most prime ministers up to the current Rishi Sunak, a teetotaler. The Red Lion has also served as a meeting place for harried aides and members of Parliament to discuss political drama and coming elections away from the busy halls of Westminster.

I have my own history here, which is why I always try to come back for a pint while in town. In the summer 1994, as a young journalist with Bloomberg living in London, I was called at home one night by our lobby correspondent, David Healy, who knew I had an interest in the on-again, off-again talks to end the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland. He told me to meet him at the Red Lion at 9 pm.