Labour’s plan
In this blog I want to talk about Labour’s Green Growth plan. The planet is getting warmer, increasing the risks of flooding and extreme weather.
Labour wants to take the country forward by harnessing British manufacturing whilst also promoting green energy, to make Britain 100% carbon-neutral by 2030.
The challenge
Currently, and under previous Conservative governments, there is not enough investment in renewable energy sources. U-turn after U-turn on fracking, and a lack of investment in home insulation, has left British households exposed. Not just exposed to the cold; but exposed to global warming. Climate change is becoming ever-more apparent, and increasingly impacting on our daily lives which I have seen across my lifetime in Huddersfield. Flooding is becoming more frequent and more severe.
This environmental challenge has been worsened by our dependence on imported energy. Currently, we still import around 35% of our energy [1]. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brutally exposed this problem. Energy prices soared, and the cost of living spiralled, pushing many families and households into poverty. This is unacceptable and has not been resolved by the Tory government. It’s time to solve the energy crisis, to ensure the long-term stability and viability of our national energy security. This is what Labour will deliver.
The solution
For years, the Tories damaged our countryside and nature through climate inaction, but they have also made us ever-more reliant upon fossil fuels and energy sources outside of the UK. This means households are exposed to extremely expensive energy costs and feel the worst effects of climate change.
Why not produce home-grown energy in the UK, that can provide jobs, and security for millions of people? And protect us from the worst effects of climate change before it’s too late.
Why not begin manufacturing wind turbines, solar panels, and investing in carbon capture within the UK?
This will create jobs across Northern England and truly stimulate economic growth.
A further solution is offshore carbon capture. The UK’s exclusive economic zone in the North Sea presents an excellent opportunity to utilise our natural resources for good. To store carbon, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
Why Labour?
Labour’s plan is to work in tandem with the UK’s geographical strengths, offshore wind and infrastructure capability. The green transition is not just desirable but an unmissable opportunity.
Labour will launch Great British Energy, investing in a sovereign wealth fund, to give the British people a stake in our energy. GBE would invest in new factories to produce lithium batteries for electric cars; plants to make solar panels and manufacturers to produce wind turbines. Labour would also insulate 19 million homes across the UK.
The benefits of the green transition can make Britain’s industrial towns and cities world leaders in decarbonisation and the green industries of the future.
Will you help me, and the Labour Party, solve our energy crisis and invest in our green energy plan?
If so, get in touch with me with any questions, concerns, or thoughts at barry.sheerman.mp@parliament.uk, or write to me at the House of Commons.
[1] Energy imports in the UK – statistics & facts | Statista