Net zero targets “are not helping” claims shadow energy secretary
Shadow energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, has claimed that Labour’s net zero targets” are not helping” the UK’s economy.
In an interview with Sky News’ Trevor Phillips, Countinho linked the government’s climate targets to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
She said: “We’ve said we would repeal the climate change target, and we actually think the net zero targets are a problem”
Her comments follow Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pledging to scrap the Climate Change Act, which created the framework for cutting emissions to net zero by 2050 as well as adapting the UK to climate impacts.
Countinho added the targets are “making the cost of electricity incredibly expensive” while also causing jobs to move to “countries abroad” which is “worsening climate emissions”.
She said: “Every time a business leaves here for a country powered by coal, you’re worsening climate emissions… net-zero targets at this point are not helping climate change, the economy or cost of living for households.”
However, the senior Tory did welcome the move to train young people, amid the government’s plans to create 400,000 new jobs in the sector by 2030, but questioned whether all the jobs will be in the clean energy field.
She said: “I think in this case, he [Ed Miliband] is going to include welders and electricians and plumbers, which we need in the economy anyway.”
She then claimed the energy secretary is going to sign Britain up to the “highest offshore wind prices that we’ve seen in a decade”, which will ultimately cause energy prices to soar.
Stopping reliance on China
When asked if she would exclude China completely from Britain’s green energy industry, she said the country needs “to be very careful” about any involvement.
She added: “We cannot have a reliance on our energy system for products that can only be made in China.”
The UK’s supply chain for wind and solar power in particular have a heavy reliance on China, with 68 per cent of solar panels imported to the UK coming from the country in 2024, up from 61 per cent the year before.
This reliance has also raised concerns surrounding supply chain security, prompting initiatives including Great British Energy to boost domestic energy capabilities.
No confirmed target
However, in a later interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Countinho would not confirm when a Conservative government would aim to reach net zero.
When questioned on the party’s climate policy, Countinho said:I think caring about pollution is important, but at the moment, the targets are actually pulling you in the wrong direction.
“If you want to decarbonise, the thing you have to do is get people to use electric products, cars, home, heating, industry, to electrify their machinery.
“So we don’t have a target.”