Greens attack price freeze but could back Labour

The Green Party has attacked Labour’s proposed price freeze saying energy efficiency is a better solution, but added that it could back a Labour government on a case by case basis.

Speaking at the launch of their manifesto on Tuesday morning, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said that a significant energy efficiency programme is “the only way to permanently bring down energy bills, unlike Labour’s energy price freeze”.

Lucas added that, with polls indicating that no single party is set to gain a majority in the election on 7 May, “that gives us a real opportunity to push Labour on policies”. She also restated her parties stance that it will not support a Conservative government.

In their manifesto, the Green Party said they would look to introduce a substantial energy efficiency scheme which would offer measures to 9 million homes, and seek to lift 2 million out of fuel poverty.

Although this goes beyond Labour’s plans to make 5 million homes more energy efficient within ten years, it could offer an area in which Labour would benefit from Green MP support.

There are other areas in the Green manifesto where they could support a Labour government in energy policy, including breaking up the vertical integration of the big six energy companies, and giving the Green Investment Bank more borrowing powers.

The Greens also outlined their support for community energy, and has targeted a total of 42GW to be generated via community power by 2020, and stated that National Grid should give priority access to community energy projects.

However, the Green Party manifesto does oppose Labour in some key areas, such as phasing out all nuclear power plants within ten years, and for a ban on all fracking because unconventional fossil fuels are “incompatible with tackling climate change”.