Lib Dems campaign for Climate Emergency in Warrington
The Liberal Democrats are submitting a Motion to the full meeting of Warrington Council on 13 June asking for a Climate Emergency to be declared.
WLD
12 Jun 2019
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Lib Dems brave weather to oppose Local Plan
Lymm Liberal Democrats ran a street stall in the Village centre on a rainy Saturday to encourage residents to voice their opposition to Warrington Council's Local Plan proposals.
IM
12 Jun 2019
Brexit - Summary of key impacts on environmental law
It is still uncertain what kind of Brexit we will have. Specific areas of UK environmental law will be affected differently depending on the nature of the UK's exit and a complex range of factors (such as the history and origin of the law, how it has been implemented into domestic law, whether it is an area that is directly relevant to access to the single market, wider policy objectives and whether the UK has a history of non-compliance).
AC
12 Jun 2019
Missed Waiting Time Targets Put Lives at Risk
The Public Accounts Committee, of which Lib Dem MP Layla Moran is a member, has published a report today describing NHS waiting times as "unacceptable" and in a "downward spiral" and warned patients are at added risk of harm.
12 Jun 2019
Leadership Election 2019: Jo v Ed
The Liberal Democrat leadership election has begun in earnest!
12 Jun 2019
Check Out Fiver Fest in Bedford Town Centre!
Thanks to the Town Centre Champions community group and 77 independent businesses who have signed up to take part, Bedford's first Fiver Fest is under way and runs through until Saturday 15th June.
12 Jun 2019
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!”
