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We stand with the people of Ukraine
Residents aid refugees fleeing the war
3 Mar 2022
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
International Affairs
A dark day for Europe, a different future for us all
It has been a truly terrible and incredible week. War has returned to Europe following the completely unprovoked invasion of...
3 Mar 2022
Boost for buses and Metro? Workplace parking levy is the answer say Liberal Democrats
Cllr Greg Stone has been taking part in council budget meetings for nearly a quarter of a century now, and over that time there has been little if any discussion of the Transport Levy payable by the council to fund public transport in Tyne and Wear, even though Newcastle is the largest contributor to it. Last night he told Newcastle City Council that over recent years the freezing of the Levy by Tyne & Wear Labour leaders has gone largely unnoticed, but the result of this has been to effectively limit transport spending in the region to 2010 levels.
3 Mar 2022
Concern over one-way bus plans for Vine Place and Holmeside
A Sunderland councillor is expecting a huge backlash from bus passengers as Sunderland Labour's plans for changing roads through the city centre will mean that thousands of people who get off the bus at Vine Place/TK Maxx won't be able to any longer. Propposals being put forward by Sunderland Council will mean buses can only travel one-way (westbound from the Fawcett Street end) up Holmeside and Vine Place. The dozens of routes that currently drop people off at Vine Place will be diverted into Park Lane, then around past the old Civic Centre, down Burdon Road and onto Fawcett Street to continue their journeys. However, Sunderland Council hasn't made this clear when announcing their plans to change road layouts in the city. Lib Dem councillor for Grindon and Thorney Close Paul Edgeworth said: "The Council's plans for this new road layout are all well and good but whether through cock-up or conspiracy they have spectacularly failed to let people know that this proposal would mean buses can only travel westbou
PE
3 Mar 2022
Seize oligarch mansions to house Ukrainian refugees. Only 8 sanctioned so far, as Australia sanctions 350
The Liberal Democrats have demanded that the Government seize mansions and houses belonging to oligarchs linked to Putin's regime, and use them to help house Ukrainian refugees.
3 Mar 2022
Newcastle City Council calls for rejection of Nationality and Borders Bill as Ukranian refugee numbers pass 1 million
Cllr Robin Ashby seconded a cross-party motion passed unanimously last night by Newcastle City Council.
3 Mar 2022
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!”
