Felix Dodds - Parliametary Candidate for Mid Derbyshire 2019 Felix was born in Allestree to a Rolls Royce family. His father Derek Dodds helped Rolls Royce set-up and manage projects in Derby, Thurso, Belfast and London. After graduating from Kings Langley Comprehensive School Felix studied Physics at the University of Surrey and is now a visiting Adjunct Professor at the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina.
James Archer - Parliametary Candidate for Erewash 2019 James is a currently an engineer and group leader at Rolls-Royce. He went to school in West Bridgford in Nottingham before studying at Birmingham University, graduating in 2001 with a degree in Physics with Astrophysics. He has gone on to use his degree, working in scientific software and analysis; initially working for a consulting firm in Oxfordshire. It was whilst living and working in Oxfordshire that he joined the Liberal Democrats. In 2006, he returned to the East Midlands to work at Rolls-Royce.
The European parliament's Brexit coordinator is attending the annual conference of Jo Swinson's party The European parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt has hailed the new Liberal Democrat policy to revoke Article 50 as the "natural stance" for any party committed to stopping Brexit.
© Charlie Clift
EXCLUSIVE: Ed Davey, himself a former young carer, said it was time to 'right the wrongs' of system which doesn't support people who look after loved ones For two years the Mirror has been campaigning for Fair Care for All, calling for proper investment to tackle the crisis in our care system and support Britain's unpaid carers.
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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!”
