Ed Miliband backs anti FITs cut march

Opposition leader Ed Miliband has backed protesters who will today (November 22) march on Parliament against the strength of cuts to renewable subsidies.


The labour leader, who came to political prominence as energy secretary in the former government where he was a key figure in establishing the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme, accused the Government of ‘hypocrisy’.

Today protesters backing the solar industry will march to the Houses of Commons before demanding to see their MP to discuss cuts to the scheme laid out by the coalition at the end of October.

The cuts, which will come into effect on December 12 before a consultation into them finishes, are currently the subject of a judicial review.

Tomorrow Labour will also table an Opposition Day motion in the House of Commons to save the feed-in tariff scheme in support of the industry’s ‘Cut, don’t kill campaign’.

Speaking at the London headquarters of solar company Solarcentury Mr Miliband said: “This productive job-creating and wealth-creating business is being strangled at birth because of the rank hypocrisy of this Government.

“For all our other differences it appeared there was genuine cross-party consensus on the need to green our economy and create new industries and jobs. That consensus has now been broken.

“David Cameron’s decision to cut the FITs scheme shows the claims he made during his husky-hugging phase were about nothing more than re-branding the Conservative Party.

“Those who ‘voted blue to go green’ are rightly angry that we have a Tory government that is breaking more of its promises by the day.”

Solarcentury chief executive, Derry Newman, added: “Without Ed Miliband there wouldn’t be a FITs.

“This week is very crucial for the Cut don’t Kill campaign, 4,000 companies and 25,000 jobs do not have to be destroyed this side of Christmas.”

Luke Walsh

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