Press release
Ed Balls' Speech - Friends of the Earth reaction
1 October 2012
Commenting on Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls' speech today (Monday 1 October 2012) at the Labour Party Conference, Friends of the Earth's Policy and Campaigns Director Craig Bennett said:
"Ed Balls' warm words on the economic benefits of clean British energy leave George Osborne and his reckless dash for gas looking increasingly isolated.
"But Labour must do more to challenge Osborne by championing the green economy and the one million jobs it's already created.
"The stage is set for Ed Miliband to take on the anti-green Chancellor by painting a vision of how rebuilding Britain will also reap the remarkable opportunities that developing a low-carbon economy offers."
ENDS
Notes to editors
*** A Joint NGO statement on the Energy Bill 2012: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/energy_jointngo_policy.pdf ***
1. Why is Labour so quiet on green issues?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/sep/28/labour-green-issues-opposition?CMP=twt_fd
2. Friends of the Earth's Clean British Energy campaign, backed by Deborah Meaden, is urging the Government to listen to the public and transform our broken energy system by developing clean and affordable power from our wind, sun and water. For too long the Big Six energy companies have locked Britain into importing costly gas and coal - causing our fuel bills to rocket. Now 85 per cent of people want the Government to back UK renewable power instead. This, and cutting energy waste, will stabilise fuel bills and create new jobs. To find out more and back the campaign, visit www.cleanbritishenergy.co.uk.
To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Oct 2012
