Let’s say you’re a rising minister put in charge of the department for enterprise. You have the great idea to incentivise businesses to invest in low-carbon energy by offering a subsidy for renewable fuel used. Unfortunately, something goes wrong in the planning or execution of the scheme, with the result that claimants are paid more for low-carbon fuel than the amount the fuel actually cost them. Market forces kick in, businesses use as much fuel as possible to gain the maximum profit, the fancy renewable energy scheme ends up £490 million over budget. The opposition, the media, and most importantly the public are understandably very upset, and call for you to resign. Do you:
A) Apologise profusely, take responsibility, and stand down
B) Find someone else in the department to scapegoat and fire them
C) Accuse your critics of being misogynistic for demanding your resignation
Arlene Foster, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, has
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