Slow down or scrap our clean power pledge? No chance – we're taking back control
Teesside Wind Farm, UK (Alamy)
4 min read
Over the past year and a half, while this government has been focused on delivering clean, homegrown power, a small but noisy campaign of misinformation has tried to pull Britain backwards.
Some argue we should slow down; others want to abandon homegrown clean power altogether. But tackling the biggest threat facing our country – and seizing one of the greatest economic opportunities of this century – demands action, not retreat.
The truth is simple: only by delivering our clean power mission can we tackle the climate crisis while strengthening our economy, our energy sovereignty and Britain’s long-term resilience. And we are already seeing the benefits. The UK’s green economy is growing three times faster than the wider economy – a powerful reminder that this transition isn’t abstract but happening now, in our factories, our ports and our communities.
Those calling for delay or retreat offer no serious answers
For too long, Britain has been exposed to global fossil fuel markets we do not control. When Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices soaring, families and businesses paid the price through no fault of their own. That vulnerability was not inevitable; it stemmed from years of underinvestment in clean, homegrown energy. Our mission is to break that cycle and take back control of our energy system.
And that is exactly what we’re doing. Last month, Britain secured the largest offshore wind auction in Europe – 8.4GW of new offshore wind capacity, enough to power more than 12m homes, and far cheaper than building and running new gas plants. Coupled with rewiring the grid and upgrading up to five million homes through £15bn of public investment via our Warm Homes Plan, we are cutting bills, strengthening energy security, and building a cheaper, cleaner, more resilient system.
The transition is creating new jobs, opening new industries and giving Britain a global competitive advantage. Clean energy is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, attracting £1.8tn in global investment last year alone. Since July 2024, the UK has secured £65bn of private investment.
And it’s easy to see why. Britain has world-leading scientists, technology and industrial heritage driving this forward. From engineers in Teesside and the Humber to installers in the Midlands, to offshore wind workers in Aberdeen, the transition is supporting hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs.
This is also about fairness. For years, the costs of a broken energy system have fallen hardest on those least able to pay. Insulating homes cuts bills permanently. Investing locally keeps money circulating in local economies. Backing new industries creates stable, well-paid jobs offering dignity and security. Not to mention improving the quality of the air we breathe, the availability of food in our supermarkets and the nature in our communities.
Those calling for delay or retreat offer no serious answers. They have no plan to protect families from future price shocks, rebuild our industrial base or clean up our air. Floods, heatwaves and storms are already shaping our daily lives. Turning away now would be reckless.
Climate misinformation cannot be ignored either – it undermines British scientists, workers and innovation, so is fundamentally against British values. And it’s not what the British people want – public opinion shows that 74 per cent of Brits believe climate change is important.
The transition to clean power is not something being done to people; it is something we are building together. From community energy projects to councils retrofitting social housing, from worker-led innovation to small businesses cutting energy use, this is a national endeavour.
The choice is clear: cling to an outdated model that leaves us poorer, less secure and more polluting, or seize the opportunity of clean, homegrown power – to cut bills, protect our planet and regain control of our energy future.
Transforming an energy system built over a century will not happen overnight. But Britain has led before, and we can lead again.
Katie White is climate minister and Labour MP for Leeds North West
