Ed Miliband today repeated his claim that his energy plans will deliver ‘lower bills’ for consumers. But his own announcement claims merely that his plans ‘could see’ bills fall. And as recent Centre for Policy Studies analysis has shown, that is only in a scenario in which both gas and carbon prices are far higher than predicted by most forecasters, including Miliband’s own department.
Robert Colvile, Director of the Centre for Policy Studies, said:
‘Ed Miliband keeps on claiming that his clean power plans will lower bills. But he just doesn’t have the evidence. The report he commissioned, and repeatedly cites, said merely that his plans might not raise bills – but only in a scenario in which we see historically high gas and carbon prices over the course of the next decade, in contradiction to forecasts from the International Energy Agency and indeed his own department.
‘Miliband has also repeated his discredited claim that his plan will save the average household £300 on their energy bills, most recently on Good Morning Britain. As recent CPS research has shown, this is untrue.
‘The CPS is a staunch proponent of using market mechanisms to decarbonise. Miliband, by contrast, talks of protecting consumers from ‘the ravages of global energy markets’. Yet if he continues to ignore market realities – including the very substantial risk that his clean power plan cannot be delivered on time – the only thing that will be ravaged is our wallets.’
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- ‘The Great Grid Gamble’ is available to downloaded here.
- For further information, please contact Emma Revell on 07931 698246 or [email protected]
- The Centre for Policy Studies is one of the oldest and most influential think tanks in Westminster. With a focus on taxation, economic growth, business, welfare, education, housing and green growth, its goal is to develop policies that widen enterprise, ownership and opportunity.
Date Added: Friday 13th December 2024
