Ed Miliband's Stalinist Net Zero crusade is killing the green dream - and driving up your bills in the process

In a speech to the Conservative Environment Network this evening, Tom Tugendhat will slam Miliband’s ‘Stalinist’ approach to net zero. 

Max Anderson | Head of Communications

As he points out, this approach is not only bad for growth and the cost of living, it is also detrimental to protecting our green and pleasant land. Because this statist approach will simply push up the running costs of innovative, clean technologies, which will put people off buying them in the first place. 

The most egregious of the Soviet-style agenda is the reckless 2030 Clean Power Target, which prioritises more clean energy, not cheap clean energy. This rushed and unnecessary target simply risks driving bills higher. 

Having such expensive electricity is crippling to households and businesses. But there’s an overlooked casualty of Labour’s Expensive Power Plan - decarbonisation itself.

Britain was made great through innovation and free trade. This principle should be the same for climate action.

Look under the bonnet and new climate tech can actually improve people’s lives. EVs are fast and smooth to drive, help you avoid eye-watering petrol prices, and saves you the trip to the local petrol station. Some heat pumps can also do air con, saving you from sweltering in the summer. 

But consumers should have the freedom to choose to make this change - not be forced into it by Commissar Miliband. Incentivising take-up through cheaper bills should always be the first port of call. If it is cheaper to travel by EV, consumers will make the switch. 

This is true not only for decarbonisation, but also for adaptation. As we face ever-increasing heat waves, for the health and productivity of the nation, we will need AC to keep Britain cool.

Both decarbonisation and adaptation need cheap electricity. 

Labour is ignoring this undeniable truth, instead turning to bans and regulations to force this technology onto the British people, rather than the promise of cheaper bills. 

This is both unfair to hard-working households, who will be forced to pay even more during a cost-of-living crisis, but is also counter-productive to environmentalism. 

Making Britain a cleaner, better place is popular. It is something we should all want. But increasing bills and restricting day-to-day choices is both anti-British and alienates people from this important mission. 

So Tom Tugendhat is right. It is time for Miliband to end his Stalinist approach, and take up a conservative environmental approach that prioritises cheap electricity, grows the economy, and protects our green and pleasant land.

First published by GB News. Max Anderson is Head of Communications for the Conservative Environment Network.