Local councillors call for fairer prices at the city’s petrol stations
This comes as residents in Milton Keynes, despite being a city, have for many years paid on average 10p per litre more for fuel than some small towns.
14 Mar 2023
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Views from local residents on the application for up to 425 homes on land to the west of Rykneld Road
Views from local residents on the application for up to 425 homes on land to the west of Rykneld Road
LC
14 Mar 2023
Horsham District Council
We've launched our campaign to lead Horsham District Council, asking residents to Vote for Better this May
Last Sunday, the Horsham Liberal Democrats officially kick-started our campaign to take control of HDC at this May’s local elections, with candidates, members and supporters attending a standing room only event at the Knepp Estate in Dial Post.
14 Mar 2023
Witney constituency
Oxford-Witney Train: update
I've been working on making a rail line linking Carterton and Witney to Oxford for the 2.5 years. We're getting there, and quicker than British Rail used to!
14 Mar 2023
Small boats bill lacks a basic sense of British compassion - Video
"The truth of the matter is that, many people who deserve asylum and are entitled to asylum at present, if this bill passes, will not get it. And what would be the consequence of that? They will be sent away and many of them will die. That is why this house should reject this bill tonight."
14 Mar 2023
Rennie responds to Audit Scotland ferries report
Responding to Audit Scotland’s report on Ferguson Marine, which states that “there is still no certainty” over costs, delays and the viability of the shipyard’s future, as well as criticising bonus payments to Ferguson’s senior management, Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said:
14 Mar 2023
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!”
