Energy Crisis
Millions of families are facing sky-rocketing energy bills and eye-watering inflation. The government refuses to take any action to help. Last week Rishi Sunak's statement failed to support families and now Boris Johnson clearly has no real strategy to deal with the cost of the energy emergency.
Average annual energy bills rose to £1,971 on Friday 1st April, and are expected to increase to around £2,800 when the price cap is reviewed again on the 1st October this year. Energy costs are also impacting on transport costs and are a primary driver of inflation.
We need an energy strategy which maximises our renewables which in most cases can be built quickly and cheaply. The prohibition on building wind turbines on land is wrong. Why are solar farms are allowed? The government should fund projects such as the Severn Barrage which alone could supply 7% of our energy needs rather than wasting money on large-scale nuclear power stations which are expensive and take decades to build.
More energy is not enough. The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new emergency home insulation programme over the next six months to help those being plunged into fuel poverty. Britain suffers from an older and less green housing stock. The government has delayed its new building regulations. New housing being built in Test Valley is now not futured proofed with no electric vehicle charging points, air heat pumps or solar panels. Our residents deserve better. As councillors, we should automatically object to such rip-off housing. I know I do. Does your local councillor do as well?
We need a windfall tax on oil and gas companies to help kick start a home insulation programme, as well as doubling the Winter Fuel Payment and the Warm Home Discount, while expanding it to more households. Margaret Thatcher had no problems imposing windfall taxes. Her reasoning was ruthlessly simple: if increased profits were due to factors outside the control of the companies making them, then they were fair game. The Conservatives last attempt at a home insulation programme, the Green Homes Grant, ended in failure after just six months following low take up and mismanagement by the Tory-appointed US-based company. Demand better. People deserve competent and responsive government.