Conservative frontbencher Claire Coutinho has asserted that the United Kingdom's Net Zero policy is making the country "poorer and weaker," and that a proposed analysis into its costs was canceled by former Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband to conceal its negative impact on consumer bills.
Coutinho argues that abandoning Net Zero and prioritizing affordable electricity could save consumers over £320 billion by 2050. This saving, she stated, equates to approximately £540 per household annually for two decades. Under this alternative approach, electricity would remain nearly 80 percent clean, achieved through increased use of gas and nuclear power, while also being significantly cheaper.
"At the moment, the biggest problem with energy is cost," Coutinho wrote, highlighting that the UK has some of the highest electricity prices globally. She stated that upon becoming Energy Secretary in 2023, she began investigating the costs associated with wind and solar power, including the need for backup power when renewable sources are unavailable and the infrastructure required for energy transmission.
Coutinho claimed that these costs, which contribute to consumer bills, were being overlooked. She commissioned an official analysis of these costs, but asserts that Ed Miliband, who became Energy Secretary after the 2024 general election, canceled it. According to Coutinho, Miliband canceled the analysis because it would have revealed that his promise to cut bills by £300 was unattainable, with bills actually increasing by that amount.
She referred to a report by Onward, which she stated completed the analysis she began three years prior. This report, she contends, accounts for the additional costs of renewables and suggests that prioritizing affordable electricity is more beneficial for the environment. Coutinho further criticized the Labour party's commitment to Net Zero, suggesting it is failing and that high electricity prices make it difficult for individuals to adopt cleaner alternatives for cars and home heating.
Coutinho, along with Kemi Badenoch, has pledged to scrap Net Zero and focus on providing cheap, reliable, and abundant energy, a policy shift from their predecessors.