Responding to Rishi Sunak’s speech, Luke Viner, a spokesperson for South and East Cambridgeshire Labour offers his view: Rishi Sunak has binned the measures needed for the UK to deliver on its net zero obligations. To say we are angry about it is an under-statement. We are absolutely furious.
Furious about the damage it will cause to the UK’s international reputation, furious about the threat to our legally binding targets, and furious about the loss of jobs and business uncertainty caused by changing targets that industry was ready for. What hope is there for inward investment in Britain and economic growth amongst this chaos?
Most of all, we are furious about the direct impact it will have on the cost of living for people here in South and in East Cambridgeshire. Mr Sunak is scrapping the already much-delayed target for landlords to ensure that rented homes are energy efficient.
Approximately half of homes in South and in East Cambridgeshire are poorly insulated. Such homes can cost almost three times as much in energy bills than those that meet a good standard. I know from my own experience as a tenant of rented accommodation just how eye-watering energy bills in a poorly insulated property can be.
Energy bills as they stand are already higher than they should be because of previous governments. The Conservative/Lib Dem coalition cut onshore wind and slashed energy-efficiency schemes for homes and businesses. Yet instead of fixing this mistake, Mr Sunak seems to endorse the regressive policies of the past, reflected by yesterday's rushed U-turn.
We need change. A Labour Government will create Great British Energy, a new, publicly owned, renewable energy company. It will help cut energy bills for British households and businesses, deliver energy security against tyrants like Putin, and provide thousands of skilled jobs across our country.
Luke Viner is a spokesperson for South and East Cambridgeshire Labour
