Robert Eggleston, parlimentary candidate for Mid Sussex, spent a rewarding day in East Grinstead on Saturday meeting with residents and the local community. It was a great opportunity to talk about our Build a Brighter Future manifesto, address key issues and discuss how the Liberal Democrats can make a real difference in Mid Sussex. Thanks to everyone who came along to talk to Robert and the rest of the team!
Lesley Rollings Parliamentary candidate ...
Events in South Yorkshire this week will have brought back bitter memories to many Carlisle residents. As in our own city, the floods this week were caused by intense rain falling on the saturated and impermeable ground in the wider river catchments. There is clear evidence that the high rainfall events experienced in South Yorkshire this week and in Cumbria in 2015 are a result of climate change.
At the recent Mole Valley Scrutiny Committee, Liberal Democrat councillors defeated an attempt by the Conservatives to delay the implementation of the much-needed Opportunity Dorking regeneration initiative to promote the culture and economy of Dorking. The proposal had already been considered by Scrutiny Committee in October, but none of the Conservative councillors (apart from the Chairman of Scrutiny to give his formal report) had attended or asked any questions at the subsequent Cabinet meeting which approved it.
The Swindon Liberal Democrats are launching their campaign on Monday to ask voters in both Swindon constituencies to Stop Brexit and end the uncertainty which is stifling our economy and chasing away green jobs and investment.
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!”
