Labour’s Housing Policy lacks Vigour and Direction, say Lib Dem Housing Lead
Cllr Richard Kemp has spoken out about his anger with Labour's housing policy.
9 Jul 2025
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Bradford Liberal Democrats Support Motions Calling for Justice in Gaza
At the recent full meeting of Bradford Council, the Liberal Democrat group proudly supported two motions condemning the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and calling on the UK Government to take urgent action. We believe Bradford has a duty to stan
9 Jul 2025
Community Safety
Cleaner Streets for Southsea
Central Southsea's Councillor Suzy Horton looks at the power of taking pride in our communities
SH
9 Jul 2025
Tourists Back a Tourist Tax
Southwark Liberal Democrats have released a video in which several tourists back a plan from the Lib Dems to create a voluntary levy of £2 a night at hotels and hostels, which they say could raise millions of pounds for local services.
9 Jul 2025
Operation Brock: Back Out for 2025 summer getaway
Kent and Medway Resilience Forum has confirmed the barrier will be deployed overnight on 16th July, meaning the contraflow will be in place from 17th July. A review of whether the barrier needs to stay out will take place in the first week of August.
9 Jul 2025
Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe
David Chadwick Calls for Pension Justice for Gurkha Veterans
Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick has called for urgent action from the Government to address the injustice facing Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997, many of whom now live in communities in Brecon, Radnor, and
9 Jul 2025
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!”
