Oil Tycoon Joins Climate Science Deniers at 55 Tufton Street

Rich
on

A businessman credited with helping spark the 1970s North Sea oil boom has moved into offices at 55 Tufton Street in Westminster, where the UKโ€™s principal climate science denial organisation and many pro-Brexit campaign groups are based, DeSmog hasย learned.

John โ€œAlgyโ€ Cluff, whoseย company Cluff Mineral Resources specialises in โ€œsupport activitiesโ€ for oil and gas extraction, as well as gold mining in West Africa, joins an influential hub of free market think tanks and lobby groups housed in theย building.

Cluff has multiple ties to the groups operating out of offices at 55 and 57 Tufton Street, but told DeSmog that his decision to move his operations was due to the building being close to his home and had nothing to do with the other organisations residingย there.


Like what you’re reading?ย  Keep DeSmog digging into the fossil fuel industry by becoming a patron today!


Fossil fuel and miningย companies

One of Cluffโ€™s companies, Cluff Natural Resources, attempted to kickstart a controversial extraction method in the UK known as โ€œunderground coal gasificationโ€ (UCG) during David Cameronโ€™sย premiership.

But despite personally lobbying then Energy Minister Matt Hancock to endorse the scheme, the government has refused to support the technology, after a review in 2016 found UCG could produce up to double the emissions of traditionalย methods.

The AIM Stock Exchange-listed Cluff Natural Resources is now led by Mark Lappin, previously Technical Director at the fracking company Cuadrilla.

Located opposite the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, it currently focuses on exploiting North Sea oil and gas, partnering with Shell and winning exploration licences for an area the size of Bedfordshire last year, according to the Mail onย Sunday.

The company has been advised on its exploration strategy by Chris Matchette-Downes, a petroleum geologist who signed a letter in September entitled ‘There is no climate emergency’, which claims there is โ€œno proofโ€ that carbon dioxide is a major cause of global warming. The letter was coordinated by Netherlands-based climate science denial group, Clintel.

Tuftonย ties

When contacted, Cluff, who owns 57a Tufton Street, denied having any connection to other occupants of No. 55, including Nigel Lawsonโ€™s Global Warming Policy Foundation.

Cluff told DeSmog: โ€œI have a small office there because it is close to my house. I am 79 so it is very convenient. I have no knowledge or acquaintance with any of the other tenants, nor have I made any financial contribution to any ofย them.โ€

Cluff is, however, listed as a โ€œBusiness Supporterโ€ of the Eurosceptic Global Vision pressure group, based at 55 Tufton Street. The group is directed by GWPF trustee Ruth Lea, and other listed supporters include GWPF donors Sir Michael Hintze, Lord Nigel Vinson and Richard Smith, who owns the building.ย Neil Record, Chairman of the GWPFโ€™s campaign wing, the Global Warming Policy Forum, sits on Global Vision’s Economic Advisoryย Panel.


Read more about the organisations based at 55 Tufton Street in DeSmog’s Climate Disinformationย Database


During Cluff’s time as owner of the Spectator magazine, he oversaw the appointment of former Daily Telegraph editor and GWPF trustee Charles Moore as editor. Cluff went on to become Chairman of the magazine while both Dominic Lawson, Nigel Lawsonโ€™s son, and Boris Johnson were editors in the 1990s and 2000s, respectively. He donated to Johnsonโ€™s successful London mayoral bid inย 2008.

In 1995, the same year his gold mining company made the biggest gold discovery in Africa since World War II in Tanzania, Cluff started an 11-year stretch as a Director of the Centre for Policy Studies, based next door at 57 Tuftonย Street.

The Thatcherite thinktankโ€™s Executive Director Tessa Keswick reportedly introduced City investors to Cluff while he was forming his North Sea consortium in the early 70s. Keswick, now Chancellor of the private University of Buckingham, which has a history of promoting the work of climate science deniers and has taken large donations from GWPF donor Nigel Vinson, received shares from Cluff at the time and worked for his investment company in theย 1990s.

Cluff’s property at 57A Tufton Street was used by Dominic Raabโ€™s Conservative leadership campaign earlier this year. Former Brexit Secretary Raab regularly contributes to the anti-tax group the Taxpayers’ Alliance and has served on the political advisory board of pro-โ€œhardโ€ Brexit campaign organisation Leave Means Leave, both of which are based two doors along at No.ย 55.


Read more โ€“ Mapped: A Who’s Who of Brexit and Climate Scienceย Denial


After DeSmog presentedย these Tufton Street ties to Cluff, heย said:

โ€œI am not and never have been a supporter of Global Vision. I was not aware until you told me that it is based at 55 Tufton Street. Of course I oversaw and strongly supported the appointment of both Charles Moore and Dominic Lawson (and Boris Johnson) as editors of The Spectator. I have never discussed Global Vision with them or anyone else for thatย matter.โ€

Photo credit: R4vi/Wikipedia/CC BYSAย 2.0

Rich
Rich was the UK team's Deputy Editor from 2020-22 and an Associate Editor until September 2023. He joined the organisation in 2018 as a UK-focused investigative reporter, having previously worked for the climate charity Operation Noah.

Related Posts

on

Meet those aiming to capitalize on Trump's re-election by slashing climate action, from Koch network fixtures to Project 2025 and beyond.

Meet those aiming to capitalize on Trump's re-election by slashing climate action, from Koch network fixtures to Project 2025 and beyond.
on

UCP pledges to abandon the provinceโ€™s net zero targets, and remove the designation of CO2 as a pollutant.

UCP pledges to abandon the provinceโ€™s net zero targets, and remove the designation of CO2 as a pollutant.
on

Speaking at the UCP annual general meeting, the Premier took shots at the federal government and vowed not to โ€œbudge an inch.โ€

Speaking at the UCP annual general meeting, the Premier took shots at the federal government and vowed not to โ€œbudge an inch.โ€
on

The influential newspaper has repeatedly attacked the governmentโ€™s net zero chief Ed Miliband.

The influential newspaper has repeatedly attacked the governmentโ€™s net zero chief Ed Miliband.