7 November 2023
Responding to what is likley to be the last King’s Speech from the current Conservative government, co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:
“This King’s Speech, which must have really stuck in the throat of King Charles, demonstrates a government out of ideas and out of touch. There’s nothing in it to offer communities any hope with the cost of living crisis or the growing impacts of the climate emergency.
“Instead, Rishi Sunak has decided: when in a climate hole, keep digging. Pushing for new oil and gas drilling licences is an act of environmental vandalism. Especially at a time when the country is reeling from hugely damaging storms and floods, which scientists warn will become more frequent, ferocious and destructive as our planet heats.
“Encouraging energy giants to exploit fossil fuel reserves they then sell on the global market at global prices cannot provide either security or cheaper energy bills. Even the government’s own Energy Security, Claire Coutinho, had to admit that the government’s plan to require annual oil and gas licensing in the North Sea offers no guarantee of keeping energy bills down.
“Energy security, addressing high energy bills and reducing emissions will only come from ramping up cheaper and abundant renewable resources such as solar and onshore wind together with a mass home insulation programme.
“With the Conservatives now looking increasingly like a zombie government today is a big challenge for Labour. Will they pledge to undo the damage inflicted on the climate by the Conservatives today and commit to not a single new oil and gas licence from day one of a Labour government?
“What is clear, is that whoever forms the government after the next general election, Green MPs are going to be needed to push for legislation that will lead to a greener and fairer country.”
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