Debates between Ed Miliband and Richard Foord during the 2024 Parliament

Tue 26th Nov 2024

COP29

Debate between Ed Miliband and Richard Foord
Tuesday 26th November 2024

(4 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ed Miliband Portrait Ed Miliband
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Both the points that my hon. Friend makes are right. I am happy to acknowledge the role of Theresa May in putting net zero into law, as well as that of Alok Sharma and even Boris Johnson, who fought to champion some of these issues. It is a real shame, and it speaks volumes, that we can say those things and the Conservatives do not.

Richard Foord Portrait Richard Foord (Honiton and Sidmouth) (LD)
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I agree with the hon. Member for Bournemouth East (Tom Hayes), who talked about there being no national security without energy security. We discovered after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine how dependent the UK was on imported gas. When talking to other countries, did the Government make the case for investment in clean energy, and how it can reduce dependency on malign petrostates such as Russia?

Ed Miliband Portrait Ed Miliband
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The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrated the truth, which is that, unfortunately, fossil fuels do not give us energy security. Whether those fossil fuels came from the North sea or were imported, prices shot through the roof; our constituents paid the price, and the Government paid out £94 billion in support. That is why our clean energy superpower mission is so important, to give us the energy security that the Conservatives completely failed to give us.