Essex's local libraries under threat again
Essex Liberal Democrats have been campaigning alongside local residents to support our local community libraries.
30 Apr 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
R4U Hypocritical Demonisation of Political Parties Must Stop
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Baroness Williams of Crosby remembered by Rt Hon Sir Simon Hughes
The death of Shirley Williams is for so many the hugely sad passing of a campaigning, charismatic, courageous, entertaining, eloquent, energetic, radical, reasonable, rebellious, restless and principled woman of deep catholic Christian faith and...
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May Bank Holiday Pharmacy Opening Hours
The opening hours for local pharmacies for both of the May Bank Holidays have been published, courtesy of Healthwatch Bedford Borough. You can also download the table of opening hours here, where it has been shared by Jas Parmar.
30 Apr 2021
What the Liberal Democrats believe in
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30 Apr 2021
Full list of Lib Dem candidates standing in South Ribble and West Lancs
May 6th sees a record number of elections being contested nationally, following the postponement of elections in 2020 due to the pandemic. Here in South Ribble and West Lancashire, Liberal Democrat candidates are standing in elections for borough council seats, and for Lancashire County Council seats. There are also two council by-elections in South Ribble and a separate election for the Lancashire Polce and Crime Commissioner. A full list of Lib Dem candidates for all these elections can be found here.
30 Apr 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!”
