Farron – Government failing local people on broadband coverage
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has criticised the Government for failing local people when it comes to broadband coverage.
13 Oct 2017
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Prescribing of Pregabalin, highest in the North. Could be made a class C drug.
Prescribing rates for a valium-like drug linked to 111 deaths in a year vary widely across England, BBC analysis suggests. Monthly spending on prescriptions containing pregabalin was 88% higher in the North East and 83% higher in the North West than in London. Experts say there needs to be more research into why the disparities exist.
DW
13 Oct 2017
Huge swing from the Conservatives as Lib Dems gain council seat
Five Conservative defences and three Labour defences make up this week's tally of eight council by-elections. Those eight...
13 Oct 2017
Five ways to tackle inequality
A rejuvenated Liberal Democrat party not only needs to be firmly committed to Europe but also dedicated to sharing the wealth we all help create. We need to be the party that will tackle head on the fundamental issue of our time, namely the extreme economic inequality and the resultant financial hardship suffered by millions every day as they struggle to make ends meet. This means that all our core policies must relate back to this issue and prove that they contribute to these goals.
TB
13 Oct 2017
Waterfowl foul?
The council's proposed PSPO is going to make it an offence to feed the ducks and geese in Water Gardens.
12 Oct 2017
Waterfowl foul?
The council's proposed PSPO is going to make it an offence to feed the ducks and geese in Water Gardens.
12 Oct 2017
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!”
