15 Mar 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Message from Stan Heptinstall, Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate for the Liberal Democrats in Derbyshire.
I am so saddened to see the Policing Bill that is currently being rushed through parliament. It includes a power to lock people up for 10 years if they are involved in a protest that might "seriously annoy" someone else. I urge all MPs of all political persuasions not to allow this new Policing Bill to get through.
15 Mar 2021
Gender equality
The Testimonies are powerful: "Lots of women I know have taken on the majority of the home schooling and housework as well as...
DB
15 Mar 2021
MPs across Party call on Prime Minister to act on women's safety in public spaces, start a national conversation
A group of cross-party MPs led by Wera Hobhouse MP, Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Women and Equalities, has written to the Prime Minister to express their concerns about the safety of women and girls in public spaces following the death of Sarah Everard. In recent days, there has been an outpouring on social media from women and girls sharing their own experiences.
15 Mar 2021
Sunbury Pool Update March 2021
Lib Dems have lobbied to make sure improvements are incorporated Local Lib Dems have been pushing hard to get the necessary repairs and improvements to the Sunbury swimming pool completed as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, it looks like the pool will not re-open until July 2021. This means that whilst Sunbury Leisure Centre will be open for use of the gym and sports hall facility in line with the Government roadmap, the swimming pool will not.
15 Mar 2021
Batteries in Cars, and then in Homes - by Jed Marson
BATTERIES IN CARS, THEN HOMES
JM
15 Mar 2021
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
