Tories announce plans for 'energy revolution' including street-side recharging
Mon 19 January 2009
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The Conservatives have announced a strategy for what they describe as an "energy revolution", including plans for low carbon transport, buildings and commerce. In a separate announcement the party has reshuffled its front-bench team with Ken Clarke becoming the Shadow Business Secretary and Nick Herbert appointed to the Shadow Environment portfolio.
Launching the Plan for a Low Carbon Economy the Conservative leader David Cameron suggested his party would introduce measures to 'green' the economy which are similar in scale to the advent of the internet and the revolution in computing power that took place in the 1980s and 1990s. Mr Cameron said that a revolution in the energy sector could create hundreds of thousands of new green collar jobs in the UK by 2020.
The plans propose the establishment of a new national recharging network, to encourage the replacement of traditional cars with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Commenting on the plans, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Greg Clark, said: “What we are proposing today is nothing less than an environmental and energy revolution, which would make Britain a world leader in moves towards creating a low carbon economy. It is a plan that will help create hundreds of thousands of jobs, raise skills and improve Britain’s competitiveness.
The proposals were generally welcomed by energy campaigners. Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust (reported by the BBC) said they were "absolutely spot on".
Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said the Conservatives appeared to "be taking a leaf out of US president elect Obama's book and looking to stimulate the economy by boosting the green industries of the future."
In a later announcement, the Conservative leader David Cameron introduced changes to his Shadow Cabinet Team. Ken Clarke rejoins the Conservative front-bench as the new Shadow Secretary for Business while Nick Herbert is appointed Shadow Environment Secretary. Peter Ainsworth, the long-serving Shadow Environment Secretary, leaves the Shadow Cabinet. (For more details see the associated link.)
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