Latest news with #NetZeroWatch
Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Miliband accused of pitting ‘neighbours against neighbours' after scrapping heat pump rule
Ed Miliband has been accused of pitting 'neighbours against neighbours' after scrapping a heat pump planning rule to boost demand. Homeowners switching to a heat pump will no longer have to acquire planning permission to install the technology at least one metre away from a neighbouring property, under relaxed measures announced on Thursday. Critics said the decision to scrap the requirement, originally introduced to mitigate noise pollution, was simply 'another quick fix' to inflate heat pump uptake figures amid weak demand for the green technology. Andrew Montford, of Net Zero Watch, said: 'Heat pumps are clearly a mistake. They are expensive to install and expensive to run, and now it seems they are going to set neighbour against neighbour too. It's hard to identify any redeeming features at all.' In 2023, the previous government announced that the 'arbitrary' one-metre rule would be scrapped after developers complained it was too challenging to implement. Mr Miliband, the Energy Secretary, is spearheading the mass adoption of heat pumps and has a target of fitting 600,000 a year in Britain by 2028. In the past 12 months, only 65,600 have been installed, according to MCS, the certification body. In contrast, about 1.5 million new gas-fired boilers were fitted in the same period, mostly to replace worn-out models. Local authorities are said to be bracing for a rise in noise complaints as Labour pushes ahead with the heat pump rollout. To encourage demand, ministers are doubling next year's funding for a heat pump subsidies scheme that allows families to claim up to £7,500 towards the cost of a new unit. A report last year from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said that local planning authorities 'would not have the capacity to cope with the increase in planning applications and noise complaints' as the heat pump rollout expands to built-up areas. It found that one in four people living near a heat pump found the noise to be intrusive, with complaints 'usually centred around disturbed sleep'. Mike Foster, of the Energy Utilities Alliance trade body, said relaxing the rules around planning permission was 'another quick fix in the rush to drive up the numbers fitted'. He added: 'The answer to the problem is to make the appliance quieter, not get rid of a protection against noise. 'Driving up standards is always a better way of approaching such challenges rather than pretending a problem doesn't exist. 'Obviously those companies installing heat pumps, with the generous taxpayer subsidy, want the process to be quick, but they don't have to live next door to what might be a noisy appliance.' Last week, it emerged that the Energy Secretary's neighbours are protesting the development of a five-storey block of flats over noise pollution concerns related to the heat pumps included in the designs. Residents of Dartmouth Park, a wealthy suburb in the Prime Minister's constituency, claimed the development 'poses a risk of ongoing noise pollution, further impacting residents' quality of life.' Among those who have objected to Camden council is Mr Miliband's wife, Justine Thornton, who called the design 'too tall, too bulky and too dense', although she has not commented specifically on the inclusion of heat pumps. A government spokesman said: 'The energy shocks of recent years have shown the urgent need to upgrade British homes and our Warm Homes Plan will make them cheaper and cleaner to run, rolling out upgrades from new insulation to solar and heat pumps. 'We have seen incredible innovation in heat pump design over the past decade, with technological advances meaning they have become quieter over time and noise complaints are rare. All heat pumps installed have to comply with strict sound emission limits.'
The Independent
03-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Badenoch accused of being ‘in the pay of climate deniers' over net zero remarks
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has been accused of being 'in the pay of the climate deniers' over her comments about net zero by 2050 being 'impossible'. Mrs Badenoch said in a speech last month that net zero cannot be achieved by 2050 'without a serious drop in our living standards or by bankrupting us', ditching the target passed by her own party. Green Party peer Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb claimed in Parliament on Thursday that this shift in policy was down to climate sceptic lobby groups and their donations. She said: 'If you want to know where all the objections to net zero have come from, then you have to follow the money. 'The Conservative Party leader has abandoned net zero by 2050 because she is in the pay of the climate deniers in Tufton Street. 'She made the announcement immediately after receiving donations from the Global Warming Policy Foundation, and linked pressure group Net Zero Watch. 'At least four members of Kemi Badenoch's shadow cabinet, including her shadow net zero secretary Claire Coutinho, have also received donations from funders of the group.' Tufton Street is known for hosting a network of libertarian lobby groups and think tanks that focus on issues like Brexit and climate change policies. The Global Warming Policy Foundation, founded by former Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson, has lobbied against climate change policies such as net zero. The Charity Commission said in July last year that Net Zero Watch is a wholly owned trading subsidiary of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. According to her register of interests, Mrs Badenoch received 'gifts, benefits and hospitality' worth an estimated £14,530.38 in February this year from Net Zero Watch chair Neil Record. This came in the form of provision of workspace, accommodation and associated hospitality for a series of work meetings in Gloucestershire over six days with colleagues, and which the Tory leader's family also attended. Mrs Badenoch also received a £10,000 donation from Mr Record in July last year in support of her leadership campaign and two other donations in November. These included the commissioning of research services to the estimated value of £5,175 and the part use of private property for meetings and storage of campaign material to an estimated value of £1,571. However, a spokesperson for Ms Badenoch made it clear that there has been no donation from the Global Warming Policy Foundation. They said: 'Kemi Badenoch has said that getting to Net Zero by 2050 is impossible without bankrupting the country and working families. 'She has come to that conclusion by studying the evidence. It says everything about the fanatical green lobby that rather than face up to these facts, they resort to false smears. 'Kemi Badenoch is prepared to tell the truth to ensure our country is stronger and richer. The green lobby just want to cling to magical thinking, even if it makes everyone poorer.' Shadow business minister Lord Offord of Gravel backed Ms Badenoch's position, saying: 'Net Zero 2050 is a laudable ambition, which was passed through the House of Commons in 70 minutes in 2019 without any real assessment of its achievability. 'It has now become a straightjacket, which is preventing the UK from resuming our place in this modern world as an industrial, technological and military powerhouse. 'In 2025, it is now clear to see that it is neither practical nor affordable, and it behoves all of us to think again, which is why I am proud that my party and my leader Kemi Badenoch has had the courage to grab this thorny nettle.' However, former Labour Scotland Secretary Baroness Curran suggested that the Conservative Party was undergoing a shift in policy due to 'internal political considerations'. She warned: 'To avoid action for reasons of political expediency, I think, is unforgivable and is an abject failure of leadership.' The Conservative Party scrapping its net zero policy brings it more in line with Reform UK's stance, with deputy leader Richard Tice branding renewable energy a 'massive con' and blaming net zero policies for higher energy bills. In response to the argument that the UK cannot afford its commitment to net zero by 2050, Lady Curran simply said: 'We cannot afford not to'. Energy minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath said: 'On the actual issue of whether we can afford the move to net zero, surely this has to be seen not as a cost but an investment in the future.' He added: 'We should surely turn this around and see the transition to net zero as the economic opportunity of the 21st century for this country. We have huge opportunities here. 'It's a chance to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, to drive new investment in all parts of the United Kingdom, benefitting people and businesses alike.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Badenoch accused of being ‘in the pay of climate deniers' over net zero remarks
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has been accused of being 'in the pay of the climate deniers' over her comments about net zero by 2050 being 'impossible'. Mrs Badenoch said in a speech last month that net zero cannot be achieved by 2050 'without a serious drop in our living standards or by bankrupting us', ditching the target passed by her own party. Green Party peer Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb claimed in Parliament on Thursday that this shift in policy was down to climate sceptic lobby groups and their donations. She said: 'If you want to know where all the objections to net zero have come from, then you have to follow the money. 'The Conservative Party leader has abandoned net zero by 2050 because she is in the pay of the climate deniers in Tufton Street. 'She made the announcement immediately after receiving donations from the Global Warming Policy Foundation, and linked pressure group Net Zero Watch. 'At least four members of Kemi Badenoch's shadow cabinet, including her shadow net zero secretary Claire Coutinho, have also received donations from funders of the group.' Tufton Street is known for hosting a network of libertarian lobby groups and think tanks that focus on issues like Brexit and climate change policies. The Global Warming Policy Foundation, founded by former Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson, has lobbied against climate change policies such as net zero. The Charity Commission said in July last year that Net Zero Watch is a wholly owned trading subsidiary of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. According to her register of interests, Mrs Badenoch received 'gifts, benefits and hospitality' worth an estimated £14,530.38 in February this year from Net Zero Watch chair Neil Record. This came in the form of provision of workspace, accommodation and associated hospitality for a series of work meetings in Gloucestershire over six days with colleagues, and which the Tory leader's family also attended. Mrs Badenoch also received a £10,000 donation from Mr Record in July last year in support of her leadership campaign and two other donations in November. These included the commissioning of research services to the estimated value of £5,175 and the part use of private property for meetings and storage of campaign material to an estimated value of £1,571. However, a spokesperson for Ms Badenoch made it clear that there has been no donation from the Global Warming Policy Foundation. They said: 'Kemi Badenoch has said that getting to Net Zero by 2050 is impossible without bankrupting the country and working families. 'She has come to that conclusion by studying the evidence. It says everything about the fanatical green lobby that rather than face up to these facts, they resort to false smears. 'Kemi Badenoch is prepared to tell the truth to ensure our country is stronger and richer. The green lobby just want to cling to magical thinking, even if it makes everyone poorer.' Shadow business minister Lord Offord of Gravel backed Ms Badenoch's position, saying: 'Net Zero 2050 is a laudable ambition, which was passed through the House of Commons in 70 minutes in 2019 without any real assessment of its achievability. 'It has now become a straightjacket, which is preventing the UK from resuming our place in this modern world as an industrial, technological and military powerhouse. 'In 2025, it is now clear to see that it is neither practical nor affordable, and it behoves all of us to think again, which is why I am proud that my party and my leader Kemi Badenoch has had the courage to grab this thorny nettle.' However, former Labour Scotland Secretary Baroness Curran suggested that the Conservative Party was undergoing a shift in policy due to 'internal political considerations'. She warned: 'To avoid action for reasons of political expediency, I think, is unforgivable and is an abject failure of leadership.' The Conservative Party scrapping its net zero policy brings it more in line with Reform UK's stance, with deputy leader Richard Tice branding renewable energy a 'massive con' and blaming net zero policies for higher energy bills. In response to the argument that the UK cannot afford its commitment to net zero by 2050, Lady Curran simply said: 'We cannot afford not to'. Energy minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath said: 'On the actual issue of whether we can afford the move to net zero, surely this has to be seen not as a cost but an investment in the future.' He added: 'We should surely turn this around and see the transition to net zero as the economic opportunity of the 21st century for this country. We have huge opportunities here. 'It's a chance to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, to drive new investment in all parts of the United Kingdom, benefitting people and businesses alike.'
The Guardian
25-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Badenoch and family spent week as guests of climate sceptic Tory donor
Kemi Badenoch enjoyed a £14,000 week-long 'residential' with her family along with a small group of the shadow cabinet courtesy of the Tory donor Neil Record, who chairs a climate sceptic lobby group. The Conservative leader was joined by other members of the party team at a location in Gloucestershire during the February half-term; most of the shadow cabinet were not invited. The trip took place about a month before Badenoch u-turned on the party's commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, saying it was 'impossible' for the UK to meet – one of her first major policy pivots since taking over in the autumn. Costs for the week were met by Record, chair of Net Zero Watch, who owns an estate in Gloucestershire with a swimming pool, donkeys and 180 acres of sheep-grazed grass. A spokesperson for Badenoch did not respond to questions about whether she and Conservative colleagues was hosted on Record's estate or elsewhere, and whether he was present at the residential. In relation to the meeting, the spokesperson said: 'Kemi Badenoch has been raising concerns about net zero 2050 since 2019. Families and businesses in Britain are suffering with the most expensive energy bills in Europe. It is not responsible for politicians to simply ignore the huge costs of Ed Miliband's green zealotry.' Record is chair of Net Zero Watch, a lobby group which argues that policies to deal with the climate emergency are too expensive. He is known to have funded the Global Warming Policy Foundation, another climate sceptic group. He has written frequently for the Telegraph about his scepticism about action on net zero. Record has been approached for comment through the Net Zero Watch campaign. According to the MPs' register of interests, Badenoch estimated the costs of the 'residential' with her family at £14,350 for six days, while Julia Lopez, her parliamentary private secretary, and Alex Burghart, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, each declared the same value of £14,350 for a three-day stay. In Badenoch's declaration, she said: 'Provision of workspace, accommodation and associated hospitality for a series of work meetings in Gloucestershire over six days with colleagues and others who attended different sessions during various times of the week. My family attended as it was half-term week so we could spend time together outside the formal meeting part of the residential.' It is understood that most of the shadow cabinet were not invited to the residential event, with Conservative MPs underlining a resentment that is beginning to grow about the tight circle around Badenoch. Others aides known as part of her 'Quad' include Lee Rowley, a former MP and chief of staff, Rachel Maclean, a Conservative peer and her director of strategy, and Henry Newman, her deputy chief of staff. The disclosure comes amid a fresh row about politicians taking freebies, with Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, defending her decision to take £600 of tickets to a Sabrina Carpenter concert. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion A shadow minister, Matthew Pennycook, said on Tuesday that in his view taking free hospitality was inappropriate. Downing Street said he had been speaking only on his own behalf. Other MPs to accept hospitality recently include three MPs who accepted free hospitality at Cheltenham races, among them the shadow environment secretary, Victoria Atkins, who recorded £450 in tickets. The Conservative Caroline Dinenage declared more than £2,000 of free Brit awards tickets, as did the Labour MP Patrick Hurley, whose tickets were worth more than £3,000, and the Conservative Nusrat Ghani, whose hospitality was worth £1,400. Oliver Dowden, the Conservative MP and former deputy prime minister, declared a £12,000 trip to San Diego to watch a football match courtesy of the Tory donor Mohamed Mansour, a former Egyptian government minister.
