Former Labour leader Ed Miliband is to pledge that the party’s clean energy plan will deliver “clean, affordable power and good jobs for Britain”.
As Labour’s shadow climate and energy secretary, Mr Miliband will address the Global Offshore Wind conference to outline his vision for the UK’s offshore wind sector.
One of the party’s green aims is to quadruple the amount of offshore wind power in the UK by the end of the decade, however, the party backtracked on its promise to spend £28 billion a year on green projects last week, in an attempt to underline its commitment to “financial stability”.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said on Friday that this would instead be a target to work towards in the second half of a first parliament. The target included plans for spending on offshore wind turbines manufactured in Britain by removing barriers to investment.
Mr Milliband will meet chief executives and other industry leaders at the ExCel centre in London’s docklands, where he will discuss Labour’s plan to make the UK a clean energy superpower by partnering with energy companies.
The MP for Doncaster North will say that governments need a “North Star to guide their decisions and that of investors”, with the Labour Party’s aim being to “decarbonise our energy system” by 2030.
The shift will mean “lower bills, more jobs, energy security and climate leadership”, he will add.
“Labour’s whole energy policy is about clean, affordable power and good jobs for Britain,” said Mr Miliband ahead of the conference.
“Britain can never again be at the mercy of fossil fuel dictators like Putin, as we have been under the Tories,” he continued.
“The only way to have real energy security for our country is with a drive for clean, affordable, homegrown power, and that starts with offshore wind.
“Labour will ensure that, as we drive for clean power, we also deliver the good jobs that can rebuild Britain’s industrial strength and win the race for the industries of the future. It is time to build it in Britain again.”
Current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said this week that he believes artificial intelligence (AI) could help Labour achieve its aim of clean power generation by 2030.
Sir Keir said at London Tech Week on Tuesday that Labour’s plan is a “stretched target”, but one that he believes is possible with the help of AI technology.
