The UK's Labour opposition launched its flagship clean energy policy Friday, bidding to ease the country's cost-of-living crisis and contrast the party with the ruling Conservatives in the looming general election. Campaigning in Scotland, Labour leader Keir Starmer detailed plans for a publicly owned company, named Great British Energy, to spearhead funding for green energy projects. The policy was promptly slammed by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as "incoherent" and unable to deliver energy security. Announcing the energy policy, Starmer sought to counter claims that Labour's pledge not to issue new oil and gas drilling licences in the North Sea will prompt large-scale job losses. Labour says GB Energy would invest in domestic power sources, securing energy supplies and lowering electricity and gas prices that rocketed after key producer Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Source: The Times May 31, 2024 15:58 UTC