We should have known.
In our last blog, we found it within our hearts to compliment the government on actually doing what they said they would do when it came to eradicating tax avoidance with Stamp Duty Land Tax.
We believed that we were witnessing a new political dawn.
However, as Nick Clegg will testify, a week is a long time in politics. Therefore, we're not surprised to see, that, unfortunately, Westminster is back to its old ways when it comes to shifting policy goal posts overnight.
This time it's the solar panel industry.
Recent years have seen massive growth in the sale of solar panels - the promise of free electricity and money from the government paying home owners to produce it, was simply too strong for many. Indeed, this business opportunity, with its green overtones, seemed ideal for domestic energy assessors, (DEAs) many of whom had lost significant income from the overnight scrapping of HIPs, where they made their money.
The key to the business was the "feed-in tariff" - money from the government paying consumers to generate their own electricity. Without it, the cost of buying (or leasing in many cases) these solar panels simply didn't make financial sense. This fee was guaranteed. (Or so the franchise salespeople told their franchisees).
The amount paid was up for review in April 2012, and a consultation period was underway. However, in a HIP-like move, the government has overnight reduced this tariff by 50%, making the proposition for many, unviable.
Observers estimate this will cost 20,000 jobs. Add that to the estimate of 10,000 jobs lost when HIPs were abandoned, and suddenly, Cameron's new caring Conservatism doesn't appear to be quite so friendly after all.
