Sir Keir Starmer was forced to deny watering down a green energy pledge after setting a target for the UK to be “on track” to deliver 95% clean power by 2030.
The Labour election manifesto this year and Sir Keir’s “missions” set out almost two years ago both promised “zero-carbon electricity” by 2030.
But the “milestone” in Sir Keir’s new “plan for change” promises a measure in line with advice from the National Energy System Operator (Neso) aiming for 95% reliance on “low carbon generation”.
The Prime Minister, announcing his plan at Pinewood Studios, denied there was a shift in position.
Sir Keir said: “The clean energy pledge is today exactly what it was in the election; that has always been central to our mission.”
He added: “The mission hasn’t changed from the day I launched it nearly two years ago.
“In terms of where we need to get to on clean energy by 2030, it’s exactly the same as it always was.
“There’s always going to be a mix but that is the pledge that we made two years ago. That is the mission and we’ve not changed it today.”
Ministers insisted the promise to achieve at least 95% clean power by 2030 was consistent with Labour’s pre-election “mission” as the UK would still maintain a “strategic gas reserve”.
We will protect billpayers by securing our energy supply with secure, home-grown power.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) December 5, 2024
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband also insisted there had been no change, saying “that is what the Climate Change Committee said in their original definition of what a clean power system was”.
He added: “We made the choice originally when we launched the clean power mission that there would always be a strategic backup reserve of gas, and that always meant that there would be a very low percentage, but a percentage nonetheless, of gas and that’s been defined for us by the Neso.”
In his speech, Sir Keir also promised to stop red tape – including measures aimed at protecting nature – getting in the way of major infrastructure projects.
HS2 Ltd is spending more than £100 million building a structure to protect bats despite the rail project firm’s chairman saying there is no evidence that high-speed trains interfere with the creatures.
The Prime Minister said planning rules had resulted in “the absurd spectacle of a £100 million bat tunnel holding up the country’s single biggest infrastructure project”.
He added: “This Government will not accept this nonsense any more.”
Environmental campaign group Greenpeace welcomed Sir Keir’s commitment to clean energy.
Ami McCarthy, Greenpeace UK’s head of politics, said: “The devastation caused by recent deadly floods is a stark reminder of the necessity of switching to clean power as fast as humanly possible.
“Luckily, Keir Starmer is like a dog with a bone when it comes to his commitment to wind and solar – exactly the kind of action this country needs.”
Dhara Vyas, chief executive of industry body Energy UK, said: “It was good to hear the Prime Minister reiterate the Government’s clean energy ambitions.
“The energy industry welcomes a commitment to building for the future because of the economic benefits this could bring to all parts of the country through investment, growth and job creation along with increasing our energy security.”
