Labour has positive a plan towards net zero
PERHAPS the greatest contrast between Conservative and Labour manifestos can be seen in environmental policies.
The Tory go-slow on the move to net-zero and granting of new oil and gas licences has been widely criticised as being retrograde and economically damaging.
Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan calls for net-zero energy generation by 2030 with more solar and onshore wind, coupled with the doubling of existing home insulation expenditure.
This will be part-funded by a windfall tax on oil and gas companies. Not only is this plan good for the environment, good for growth and good for energy security but it is predicted to create 650,000 new skilled jobs by 2030.
Whereas over 80 per cent of UK offshore wind is foreign-owned, a striking 44 per cent is public foreignowned, the largest company of which is Danish.
The largest on-shore windfarm in Wales is owned by Sweden. Five million people in the UK pay electricity bills to EDF, which is 100 per cent owned by France. In effect, this means UK electricity consumers are subsidising hospitals and schools in Denmark, Sweden and France.
Labour proposes our own UK state-owned energy company, Great British Energy, investing in clean energy. Wind generated electricity is now far cheaper than gas so investing in renewables will cut bills for us all.
Sir Patrick Valance, the former Chief Scientific Adviser, has said: “A national mission for clean power by 2030 is achievable and should be prioritised.
“We desperately need to end the era of high energy bills, excessive carbon emissions and energy insecurity by accelerating the transition to clean, homegrown energy.
“Britain can lead on this by treating this mission like the vaccine challenge. We can be the innovators and the implementers, helping ourselves and exporting our solutions worldwide.
“But if we choose to go slowly, others will provide the answers, and ultimately we’ll end up buying these solutions rather than selling them.”
With the Tory Party in total
disarray, bereft of ideas and split into factions, it is obvious we are in desperate need of the positive vision only the Labour Party offers.
Mike Baldwin.