Labour Cabinet rift widens as Miliband quells Heathrow expansion plans | Politics | News
Ed Miliband has suggested that Heathrow’s airport expansion may not happen amid a Cabinet rift over the issue.
A third runway needs to be “justified within carbon budgets”, the Energy Secretary told the Environment Audit Committee on Monday.
He added: “If it cannot be justified, it will not take place. I can absolutely assure you that is the position of the Government. That is absolutely the basis on which the Government stands.”
A carbon budget places a restriction on the total amount of greenhouse gases the UK can emit over a five-year period.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said she could support plans for a new runway at the London airport to spur on “growth”.
But this is at odds with objections from Cabinet ministers, including Mr Miliband.
The Chancellor is expected to endorse proposals for a third runway at Heathrow in a speech on Wednesday, as well as expansion at Gatwick and Luton airports.
Meanwhile analysts have warned that Mr Miliband is on track to miss his flagship clean power target because of a projected shortfall in wind and solar farms.
Only two thirds of the solar and onshore wind capacity needed to achieve the Energy Secretary’s goal is expected to be ready in time.
Mr Miliband pledged to almost completely rid Britain’s electricity grid of fossil fuels by 2030 but Cornwall Insights said the UK is set to miss its clean energy targets by 32 gigawatts.
This is enough to power tens of millions of homes.
It warned practical hurdles, grid connection delays and market reforms would be the main factors in missing the goal.
Tom Musker, modelling manager at Cornwall Insight, said their analysis “underscored the urgent need to address both the operational and investment barriers slowing renewables growth.
He said: “Renewables are set for substantial growth over the next five years, as the country strives to meet its clean power ambitions.
“However, despite promising progress, the gap between this growth and government targets underscores the urgent need to address both the operational and investment barriers slowing renewables growth.
“Without swift and decisive action to resolve these issues, the UK risks falling significantly behind its clean power ambitions.”
Mr Musker warned that timely investment in infrastructure, clarity on market reforms and support for innovative project delivery were vital to unlocking the UK’s clean energy potential.
Cornwall Insight forecast there would be only 37GW of offshore wind, 17GW of onshore wind and 29GW of solar by 2030 — leaving a combined shortfall of 32GW.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz) dismissed the analysis, with a spokesman saying: “We do not recognise these figures – as shown by independent analysis from the Neso, clean power by 2030 is achievable, and can create a cheaper, more secure energy system.
“Our Clean Power Action Plan sets out how we will deliver a new era of clean electricity, with the most ambitious reforms to the country’s energy system in a generation.
“We are cleaning up a dysfunctional grid system to connect the most important projects, speeding up decisions on planning permission and expanding the renewable auction process to stop delays, unlocking growth.”
It comes as energy boss Dale Vince hit back at suggestions that the Government’s recent decision to approve his solar farm in Lincolnshire was politically influenced.
Heckington Fen Solar Park, a development owned by Mr Vince’s renewable energy company Ecotricity, was given the green light late last week by ministers.
Mr Vince, who donated £5 million to Labour in the run-up to the general election, said criticism by opponents of the project are “cheap” and “cynical”.
The project, a solar park combined with a battery storage site, will provide enough electricity to power as many as 200,000 homes when it is completed.
A Government spokesman said: “Political donations have no influence over how planning applications are considered.
“There’s a rigorous process in place to ensure that all planning decisions are taken in accordance with the necessary propriety rules and weigh up only material planning considerations in the decision.”
They said Mr Miliband had recused himself from the decision, which was delegated to Lord Philip Hunt, an energy minister.