Jeremy Corbyn slams Tory-Lib Dem coalition for energy bill hike after 'disastrous' insulation scheme cuts
2 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has slammed Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers after a "disastrous" cut to a flagship Labour insulation scheme resulted in soaring energy bills.
The Labour leader said almost five million households had faced a £755 hike in their energy bills as a result of the coalition government's decision to scrap the Warm Front Scheme.
The programme, established by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2000, had provided grants to fuel-poor families to fund energy efficiency projects, including fitting new heating systems and loft insulation.
Over two million households had benefited from the programme before it was replaced by the Green Deal in 2013.
But a fresh Labour analysis claimed a total of £3.7bn had been added to energy bills by 2017 as a result of the "disastrous" change.
Meanwhile, the party said an extra 14.6m tonnes of CO2 - the annual equivalent of 8.6m more cars on the road - had been released into the environment over the same period.
Speaking ahead of a visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology, Mr Corbyn blasted ministers as he accused them of contributing to climate "destruction".
"The Conservative-Lib Dem decision to scrap this insulation programme has been a disaster. They cost millions of people hundreds of pounds and damaged our environment," he said.
"The next Labour government will turn this failed approach on its head with a Green Industrial Revolution to tackle the climate emergency, create hundreds of thousands of good green jobs in every region and nation of our country and save millions of households money on their bills."
The comments come after the party unveiled a series of new environmental plans, including the installation of solar panels on millions of homes, in a bid to tackle the "climate emergency".
The Labour leader added: "From the mass installation of solar panels, insulating homes, building the Swansea Tidal Lagoon, expanding solar and wind energy and bringing the National Grid into public ownership, Labour's Green Industrial Revolution will benefit working class people by cutting energy bills, creating good jobs in new, green industries and fighting the climate emergency.
"Social justice and climate justice are inseperable. Labour will tackle inequality and environmental destruction together."
The Department for Energy and Climate Change have been approached for comment.
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