Lib Dems slam wasted £31,860 on rebrand
Liberal Democrat Councillors are today calling out Mayor David Skaith for wasting £31,860 of residents’ money on a rebrand of the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
4 Mar 2025
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Canada Water Masterplan: Affordable Homes Could Drop to just 10%
New planning documents submitted to Southwark council for the Canada Water redevelopment has shown revised designs, which include taller buildings and a potential reduction in the proportion of affordable housing delivered through the scheme.
4 Mar 2025
Sutton
Demands for compensation after fire leaves 400 Carshalton households without internet and landline for a month
In an open letter, Carshalton Central Liberal Democrat councillors have called for Openreach to provide ‘appropriate compensation’ for the 400 households that lost their internet service for nearly a month.
4 Mar 2025
Alistair Carmichael - Westminster
Carmichael welcomes continued protection of Single Malt whisky designation
Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has welcomed the government’s decision today to reject changes to the definition of single malt whisky, following a bid made by the English Whisky Guild for geographical indication.
4 Mar 2025
Camden
Labour Rejects Liberal Democrat Budget Amendments to Tackle Homelessness, Crime, and Climate Change
Our proposals sought to fund additional outreach workers for rough sleepers, increase support for those in temporary accommodation, and boost efforts to combat drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.
4 Mar 2025
Birmingham
Cllr Jon Hunt - "Perry Barr residents will fight for Beeches pool"
Cllr Jon Hunt has picked up some signs that Beeches pool may be at risk. He stood to raise that, and report back on the anger that Perry Barr residents feel towards a council that is charging more and delivering less.
4 Mar 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!”
