Reform UK Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick has accused Ed Miliband of sacrificing Britain’s countryside, food security and national interests to pursue Labour’s “Net Zero zealotry”.
Speaking from the site of what he described as “Britain’s second-largest solar farm”, Jenrick warned that thousands of acres of productive agricultural land in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire were set to be covered with imported solar panels.
“The English countryside on a summer’s day”, he said, gesturing to the rural landscape. “But that is all about to change, thanks to Ed Miliband.”
Jenrick said the proposed development would cover around 4,000 acres with “Chinese-made solar panels”, including large areas of high-quality farmland.
He argued that building industrial-scale solar developments on farmland would undermine both Britain’s ability to produce its own food and its resilience in the face of growing international instability.
“It is ruining our food security and our national security”, Jenrick said.
He also questioned whether communities living near the development would receive any direct benefit from hosting it.
“And will local residents get cheaper energy prices out of all this?” he asked. “No, of course they won’t.”
Jenrick accused Labour Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of dismissing the concerns of residents who had campaigned against the plans.
“Ed Miliband has ignored all their campaigns”, he said. “Frankly, he doesn’t give a damn. He has put his own Net Zero zealotry above their interests and above our national interests too.”
Jenrick contrasted Labour’s approach with Reform UK’s policy of preventing new solar farms from being built on agricultural land.
Reform UK, he said, is “going to do things differently.” “We’re the only political party to say: no more solar farms on agricultural land.”
“Solar is for roofs, not for farmland.”
Jenrick concluded by arguing that Reform UK could cut household energy costs without damaging rural communities or reducing the amount of land available for food production.
“We’ve got to get this rotten Labour government out as soon as possible”, he said. “Then Reform can bring down your energy bills without wrecking our countryside.”
Speaking from the site of what he described as “Britain’s second-largest solar farm”, Jenrick warned that thousands of acres of productive agricultural land in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire were set to be covered with imported solar panels.
“The English countryside on a summer’s day”, he said, gesturing to the rural landscape. “But that is all about to change, thanks to Ed Miliband.”
Jenrick said the proposed development would cover around 4,000 acres with “Chinese-made solar panels”, including large areas of high-quality farmland.
He argued that building industrial-scale solar developments on farmland would undermine both Britain’s ability to produce its own food and its resilience in the face of growing international instability.
“It is ruining our food security and our national security”, Jenrick said.
He also questioned whether communities living near the development would receive any direct benefit from hosting it.
“And will local residents get cheaper energy prices out of all this?” he asked. “No, of course they won’t.”
Jenrick accused Labour Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of dismissing the concerns of residents who had campaigned against the plans.
“Ed Miliband has ignored all their campaigns”, he said. “Frankly, he doesn’t give a damn. He has put his own Net Zero zealotry above their interests and above our national interests too.”
Jenrick contrasted Labour’s approach with Reform UK’s policy of preventing new solar farms from being built on agricultural land.
Reform UK, he said, is “going to do things differently.” “We’re the only political party to say: no more solar farms on agricultural land.”
“Solar is for roofs, not for farmland.”
Jenrick concluded by arguing that Reform UK could cut household energy costs without damaging rural communities or reducing the amount of land available for food production.
“We’ve got to get this rotten Labour government out as soon as possible”, he said. “Then Reform can bring down your energy bills without wrecking our countryside.”
