Ukip seeks ‘level playing field’ for coal

Ukip is seeking to “ensure a level playing field for coal” by pledging to remove all government subsidies for wind and solar power.

In their general election manifesto launched on Wednesday, Ukip stated it aims to “rejuvenate” the UK coal industry, adding it would also scrap the carbon tax on the basis that coal fired generation will be partnered with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

The party also said it will “halt the decline” of coal fired power stations by seeking private funding to develop “new, efficient plants”.

Alongside this, Ukip stated it would scrap compliance with the EU’s large combustion plant directive and the planned medium combustion plant directive, claiming these “attempt to close down secure, reliable and economic electricity generation and replace it with expensive, intermittent, unreliable renewables”.

The manifesto stated the party would encourage fracking, as well as supporting renewables “where they can deliver electricity at competitive prices”. This excludes onshore wind, which is described as “hopelessly inefficient”, a “blight on the landscape” and is accused of pushing up energy bills.

Ukip also outlined its plans to scrap the Climate Change Act, withdraw from the EU emission trading scheme, and prevent energy suppliers charging extra for customers using pre-payment meters as ways of cutting energy bills.

The party added that it could make “considerable savings” to government expenditure by abolishing a number of government departments, including the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and transferring their “essential powers” into other departments.