Labour’s leader also called on the Government to commit to the 2030 decarbonisation target in the upcoming energy bill, stressing that already billions of pounds in investment is “going elsewhere or being put on hold”.

Slamming the Government in a speech at Whitelee Wind Farm, Miliband challenged David Cameron’s promise to be the “greenest government ever”, accusing it of “not being up to the task”.

Continuing his attack, Miliband pointed out Greenpeace’s recently released video footage that suggests senior figures in the Government’s cabinet, including Osborne, have been trying to undo their green commitments.

“We even had the spectacle of the campaign manager for one of their by-elections conspiring with the anti-wind farm candidate, and undermining their own candidate,” he said.

“We now have a Minister for Energy who is against building new wind turbines – and a government that has delayed crucial decisions on the Green Investment Bank and decarbonisation targets,” added Miliband.

The opposition leader also stressed that since the current Government came to power, investment in renewable energy “hasn’t gone up, it hasn’t even stagnated – it has halved”.

He continued by highlighting a report published this week by the World Bank who talked of catastrophic flooding, droughts, and “millions of deaths” if climate change is not addressed.

Encouraging the Government to take a firmer stand on climate change, Miliband urged Cameron to commit to carbon emissions targets.

“That is what I would do if I was in Downing Street now and that is what this Prime Minister – who once flew halfway across Europe to hug a husky – should do,” he added.

Leigh Stringer

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