Reform UK has unveiled a proposal to tax the renewable energy sector as part of its plan to abolish the UK’s net-zero target, according to the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice.
Tice argued that policies aimed at achieving net zero were the main drivers behind rising energy bills and the decline of the UK’s industrial sector. He called renewable energy a “massive con” and pledged that his party would seek to reclaim funds spent on subsidies for wind and solar companies.
“The British people are being ripped off by the renewables industry,” Tice stated at a news conference.
He suggested introducing a “generation tax” and a “special corporation tax” to recover the government’s investment in renewable energy projects.
Tice emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “The British people need to know there is a direct link between the cost of all these subsidies to the vested interests in the renewables industry and your bills.”
The party did not provide further specifics on how the taxes would be implemented, including the tax rate or the projected revenue.
In addition to taxing renewable energy companies, Tice announced plans to tax solar farms and introduce new laws requiring energy cables to be buried underground, rather than being supported by pylons.
He also promised that Reform UK would “scrap net zero” if they won the next general election.
Currently, the party, formerly known as the Brexit Party, holds five seats in Parliament after receiving 14% of the vote in the 2024 general election.
The party’s stance on energy and climate policies sharply contrasts with the Labour government’s vision. Labour aims to phase out nearly all fossil fuels from the UK’s electricity generation by 2030. As part of its agenda, Labour plans to expand renewable energy and invest £8.3 billion in a state-owned clean energy company, Great British Energy, over the next five years.
Governments worldwide are increasing investments in renewable energy to meet climate targets and reduce carbon emissions to “net zero” by 2050. In the UK, renewable energy sources have steadily grown, and their generation costs have fallen significantly over the past decade.
Labour has also promised to reduce household energy bills by up to £300 by 2030, a pledge supported by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. However, UK energy bills saw an increase in January, with further price hikes expected in April.
The primary driver behind the rising energy prices is the increasing cost of gas, which has traditionally been the UK’s largest source of fuel. In light of rising energy costs, Reform UK has turned its attention to the expenses associated with renewable energy sources.
Polling consistently shows that most people support net-zero policies and are concerned about climate change. However, Reform UK leaders, including Nigel Farage, have downplayed the importance of these policies. Farage stated that the question of whether climate change is real is “irrelevant,” arguing that the UK’s actions would have little impact compared to the massive carbon emissions from countries like China and India.
Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, criticized Reform UK’s approach, saying their plans would drive up household energy bills and undermine the renewable energy sector. He argued that the focus should be on boosting homegrown energy production to enhance energy security, rather than imposing additional taxes that could deter investment.
Hall added that the real issue was not the net-zero target, but rather the UK’s dependence on expensive gas imports and excessive government intervention in the energy market.
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