Ed Miliband commenting on the National Grid’s Winter Outlook Report

Ed Miliband MP, Labour’s Shadow Climate Secretary, commenting on the National Grid’s Winter Outlook Report, said:

“Today’s report from National Grid shows our vulnerability as country as a direct consequence of a decade of failed Conservative energy policy.

“Banning onshore wind, slashing investment in energy efficiency, stalling nuclear and closing gas storage have led to higher bills and reliance on gas imports, leaving us more exposed to the impact of Putin’s use of energy as a geopolitical weapon.

“Yet still the Conservatives fail to learn the lessons. This government has already crashed the economy with their kamikaze budget, and a humiliating U-turn they were forced into which came too late. The damage has been done, and now we are all suffering the consequences.

“It is the Government's responsibility to ensure the UK is resilient, but instead they have left the UK's key infrastructure dangerously exposed. The Prime Minister must meet with the National Grid as a matter of urgency and set out a plan.

“Only Labour can deliver lower energy bills and energy security for the UK, with our plans for clean power by 2030 and to launch GB Energy, a publicly-owned, clean energy company, to make Britain an energy independent superpower.”