King’s Speech

Lord Lennie Excerpts

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Lennie (Lab)]

My Lords, I also congratulate the quartet of Peers who have spoken their maiden speeches: my noble friend Lord Hobby, the noble Lord, Lord Blackwater, the noble Baroness, Lady Leaman, and finally the noble Lord, Lord Dixon, who had to live up to quite a billing before he managed to say a word but achieved it with distinction. While I am on the noble Lord, Lord Dixon, the noble Lord, Lord Carlile, suggested that we should speak to our grandparents about loot boxes, but I think he meant grandchildren. If Hansard corrects the record, I am sure he will appreciate that too.

I want to speak about energy security and energy independence, which the Government committed to in the gracious Speech. There should be no doubt, since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and the war in Iran leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, that there is an urgency to get policy right and to get on with delivering UK energy independence. Indeed, to oppose doing so would be an act of self-harm, leading to significantly higher prices for businesses and consumers, and to energy insecurity when it comes to keeping the lights on. Renewables and nuclear are clearly the front-runners for our future sources of supply, and both exist outside the international markets price regulation, which will enable the UK to be independent of the high price-fixing of international markets.

However, as a point of reassurance to those opposite who made this point, the change to renewables will not happen overnight or at the expense of gas and oil from the North Sea. The North Sea will continue, at least until the next century, to produce vital energy for the UK. Those who argue that this Labour Government are putting jobs at risk are scaremongering. I live in the north-east of England, where companies are pleading with us to go faster and further on renewables so that they can retain the skills of those employed in the construction of pylons, wind turbines and the control mechanisms they operate under.

By creating this certainty, the UK will retain these skills, and that is what the Government are committed to doing. The Government are introducing the energy independence Bill to ensure energy security, and the nuclear regulation Bill to pave the way for greater nuclear energy investment. Building on the Fingleton review of the nuclear sector, this will see an acceleration of the UK’s commitment to wind, wave, solar and a nuclear future, with improved light-touch regulation to overcome price gouging by unscrupulous companies.

From the starting point of 3% in the year 2000 to just under half of all our energy now, renewable sources are on the up. It is predicated that, together with nuclear, renewables will dominate the market for the foreseeable future. On 1 April 2026, we saw the first 24-hour period in which renewables met all our energy demands. Third-party intermediates, which operate in the business sector, are currently controlled only by voluntary measures and general consumer protection laws. Therefore, I welcome the Government’s proposal for them to be properly regulated by Ofgem, and Labour’s proposal to make sure that the country’s energy is independent and secure.

Can the Minister say whether the following statements are true? First, the Government will protect customers from international market volatility. Secondly, they will boost employment in the future industries for green power. Thirdly, they will remove delays in planning, especially grid access, and cut costs. Fourthly, they will increase UK resilience to energy threats. Finally, through GB Energy, they will quicken the transition and ensure that considerable benefits are felt by everyone.