30p Lee Anderson struck the facepalm motherlode with his claim that coal is sustainable because it’s made from trees

12.

Is it any surprise that the party of full of old fossils and dinosaurs thinks coal is “sustainable”? https://t.co/gujQoqLU9M

— NewsThump (@newsthump) February 6, 2024

13.

Yes Lee, coal is formed by living matter decomposing under immense heat and pressure. But the process takes a VERY long time. So what will we do when it’s exhausted and we’re waiting another million years for the next batch? https://t.co/PYHX3lTXrY pic.twitter.com/GyZVkfGTaE

— Joe Oakley ️‍ (@JRLOakley) February 6, 2024

14.

Either an idiot or a liar. Or both. https://t.co/TVzWnvAzO2

— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) February 6, 2024

15.

No sniggling at the back! https://t.co/Bf0x0c54OR

— Average Human Teessider (@utb_smith) February 6, 2024

16.

Is he suggesting we bury trees and wait for them to turn into coal?

— MushyMelbowHead (@MushyMelbowHead) February 6, 2024

17.

Jesus actual Christ. https://t.co/t4VXSZcRU1

— Sarah Phelps (@PhelpsieSarah) February 6, 2024

18.

Lee Anderson making sustainable coal.pic.twitter.com/maxzIuxRWy

— Colin the Dachshund (@DachshundColin) February 7, 2024

19.

This is like people arguing Terry’s Chocolate Orange is one of your five-a-day https://t.co/Fix3Voq4r2

— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) February 6, 2024

20.

“Coal is sustainable” is right up there with Mike Graham growing fucking concretepic.twitter.com/oPAjd56N8v

— Ina (@thatcymraes) February 6, 2024

21.

Waiting a few days for sunny or windy weather for your renewable energy= Green Weirdos

Waiting 50-300 million years for the tree you planted to replenish your ‘renewable’ coal reserves= genius #30pLee #30pFlee #PopCons #RenewableCoal #Coal #ToriesaAreOutOfControl #ToriesOut579

— Angry Not Lee Anderson MP (@andersonangrymp) February 6, 2024

James Ball quite generously suggested there might be method in his madness.

I don’t think Lee Anderson says this stuff because it represents the majority view of his constituents. He knows almost none of them are this stupid. He says this stuff with an eye on the £££ once he’s lost his seat. https://t.co/rveubfgIRW

— James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 6, 2024

Of course, context is crucial.

This has been taken completely out of context. The rest of the speech was even madder. https://t.co/nY29SdIci4

— Tom Peck (@tompeck) February 6, 2024

If you want to see for yourself, his speech is available here from 33 minutes.

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Source Shehab Khan Image Screengrab, Dylan Hunter on Unsplash