Thursday, August 20, 2026
Tory fantasy on net zero
They were commenting on plans by the shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho to ditch net zero, insisting that the UK “should focus all our attention on making electricity cheap, and then let consumer choice be king”:
A report commissioned by the Conservatives, written by Tory-leaning think tank Onward and advisory firm Transira Energy, suggested focusing on cheap power could save families £540 a year from their energy bills.
But green campaigners have said the proposal is “completely out of touch with the public, its own voters, and economic reality”, while others branded the claims a “myth” that would require a “mathematical miracle”.
“After thousands of deaths from extreme heat this summer, this announcement shows the Conservative Party is completely out of touch with the public, its own voters, and economic reality,” Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Danny Gross said.
“Clean power is the route to cheap, secure energy, not a barrier to it. Home-grown wind and solar energy are cheaper and less exposed to global price shocks than gas. The Conservative plan would just leave the UK more exposed to volatile fossil fuel markets in the future.
“Anyone who thinks doubling down on new North Sea oil and gas projects will bring down energy bills is living in fantasy land. The only way to cut our energy costs is to reduce our reliance on expensive oil and gas.”
Greenpeace branded the proposals a “myth”, which flies “in the face of all the real-world evidence, both on climate and economics”.
“It is a myth that gas is cheaper than renewables,” Angharad Hopkinson, political campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said.
“One big gas price spike from a war or other major disruption costs Britain more than the entire net zero project.
“We saw the economic risk of dependence on fossil fuels when the wars in Ukraine and Iran sent energy bills skyrocketing. When a political party that receives lots of fossil fuel money says you should switch from the cheapest electricity sources to the most expensive, exercise caution.
“When they claim huge overall savings, best wait until some independent experts have a look before you start celebrating the mathematical miracle.”
Campaigners are right that the Tories are living in a self-imposed fantasy land. Relying on fossil fuels leaves us open to price hikes, and undermines our security.
It is most probably too late to stop or reverse the climate change we are experiecning at present, but taking the path proposed by the Tories will undoubtedly contribute to wrosening it.
