Homeless Tax "one of most unforgivable misuses of power in local government history"
Vince Cable is the latest to have his say on the 'Homeless Tax' row engulfing Manchester politics. The leader of the Liberal...
20 Jun 2019
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Government must back bill to clean up our air
Today, on Clean Air Day, the Liberal Democrats have secured a victory with the Government confirming they are looking at implementing Wera Hobhouse MP's bill, which would strengthen local authority powers on idling and help protect children going to and from schools in the City.
20 Jun 2019
Windrush Service and Celebration at All Saints Church, Westbourne Road this Saturday
Faith in Queens Park (FiQP) in partnership with All Saint's Parish Church is hosting a service and celebration of the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants. You are cordially invited to join us for the event, please find the details below:
20 Jun 2019
Standing by the people of Hongkong
A million Hong Kong citizens went on a peaceful demonstration in Hong Kong on 12th June 2019 protesting against the government's proposed Extradition Bill. Not only did the Hong Kong government refuse the demands of the demonstrators to retract the Bill, but they also described the movement as a "riot". The police used heavy handed tactics to disperse the crowds including deployment of tear gas and pepper water spray, cornering and beating up protesters with police clubs and the making of arrests.
LN
20 Jun 2019
Local Councils can and should do more says Cllr Roodhouse
Councillor Jerry Roodhouse has written to the local papers arguing that local Councils can, and should, be the voice that shouts at Westminster to change and act now to support communities.
RLD
19 Jun 2019
19 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!”
