Orcadian Column, 7 November 2024
In the immortal words of Sir Alex Ferguson, it’s ‘squeaky bum time’. As I sit here writing this column, US voters are heading to the polls in what looks set to be a ‘knife edge’ contest.
7 Nov 2024
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Mid Sussex Times
Column: Protect Mid Sussex’s Health Services from the National Insurance Hike
In the recent Budget, the government announced an increase in Employer National Insurance contributions—a move that could push Mid Sussex’s essential health services to the brink. Local GPs and small care providers are already struggling.
7 Nov 2024
Stand up to Donald Trump’s nasty and divisive politics
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7 Nov 2024
Commuters in Havant Borough could be clobbered by an equivalent 1p income tax rise due to the lifting of the bus fare cap
People who use the bus to commute to work in Havant could be hit by the equivalent of a 1p income tax rise due to the government’s decision to raise the bus fare cap from £2 to £3 which Havant’s Lib Dems have labelled the ‘bus tax’.
6 Nov 2024
South West Rugby Design Code
Stephen Pimm attended a follow up to the South West Rugby Design Code
6 Nov 2024
Richard Foord
Hundreds of farms across mid and east Devon could be hit by new “family farm tax"
LAST week in parliament, local MP, Richard Foord, spoke against a new “family farm tax” that the Government says could affect more than 250 farms across mid and east Devon.
CW
6 Nov 2024
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
