Miliband accuses Tories of ‘Wacky Races’ approach as he defends net zero agenda

Ed Miliband has insisted net zero is the “economic opportunity of our time” as he accused Kemi Badenoch of pursuing an “anti-future generations” agenda.

The Energy Secretary pushed back against the “Wacky Races” approach of the Conservatives before claiming he has never seen a Prime Minister and Chancellor “as enthusiastic and committed” to the net zero agenda than Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.

His remarks came after Tory leader Mrs Badenoch declared that reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is “impossible” without hitting living standards and she would instead task her team with finding “achievable solutions” to delivering cheap, clean energy.

Speaking at energy questions, Mr Miliband told the Commons: “The Opposition is off to the Wacky Races, frankly, when it comes to net zero.

“We on this side know, and this Government knows, the truth that net zero is the economic opportunity of the 21st century and under this Government we will seize it.”

Labour MP Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) said the energy policy of the Tories could put thousands of carbon capture and storage jobs in Teesside “at risk”.

Mr Miliband replied: “This is the economic opportunity of our time, our investment in carbon capture and storage shows what is possible.

“The desperate request for attention by the Opposition that we’ve seen today is anti-business, anti-jobs, anti-growth, anti-investment and the wrong choice for Britain.”

For the Conservatives, shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie raised questions about the seventh carbon budget (CB7) from the Climate Change Committee.

He said: “Among the more eye-watering recommendations was the figure put on the cost of meeting the obligations – it was £319 billion over the next 15 years, frontloading there will be a net cost to industry every year until 2050.

“Can I ask the Secretary of State: is the exorbitant cost the reason he cancelled his department’s review into the whole systems cost of net zero commissioned by his predecessor?”

Mr Miliband replied: “I deeply regret the direction in which (Mr Bowie) is going.

“I think the Climate Change Committee does incredibly important work. We will look at CB7 but the biggest cost we face as a country is if we do not act on the climate crisis – that is what will leave hundreds of billions of pounds of cost to future generations.”

Mr Bowie countered: “He might be content with signing our energy sovereignty over to the People’s Republic of China, he might be happy with his Government’s arbitrary targets and pushing bills up, leaving us more reliant on imports and costing jobs, but we think it’s time for a new approach.

“As the Leader of the Opposition said this morning, one focused on security and cost to the consumer and not on pie-in-the-sky targets with no plan to reach them.

“So, will he recommission the review into the whole systems cost? And if not, what is he trying to hide?”

Mr Miliband replied: “It is the Tory party that has an energy surrender policy, surrendering us to fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates and dictators.

“They would keep us locked into fossil fuels, they would threaten billions of pounds of investment in net zero and they would leave our children and grandchildren a terrible legacy.

“That is the Conservative Party in 2025 – anti-jobs, anti-growth, anti-business, anti-future generations.”

Elsewhere in the questions session, the Government said it is determined to bring energy bills down for consumers but refused a Tory offer to promise prices would be lower by the next election.

Opposition frontbencher Nick Timothy said Labour’s plans would lead to higher carbon prices, more “hidden costs” and increased levels of subsidies.

He said: “Given Labour’s election promise to cut bills, will he take this moment – he can look up into the camera if he likes – and promise the country that by the next election bills will be lower as they promised? Yes or no?”

Energy minister Michael Shanks said: “I think the party opposite have revealed their not-so-secret plan today and I can tell the country it’s just as disappointing as the one they rejected seven months ago.

“We have been very clear that our commitment is to bring down bills. We are determined to deliver on that.

“But unlike the party opposite that left consumers right across this country exposed to volatile fossil fuels … bills went up, and up and up, when his party was in government. We will bring them down.

“That party wants to take us back to the fossil fuel casino, and we won’t do it.”