Energy minister claims 'Net Zero offers an opportunity for economic and industrial renaissance of the UK'
Graham Stuart says Britain can have the most competitive electricity prices in Europe
GB News
Britain can have the most competitive electricity prices in Europe, according to the Minister responsible for delivering net zero targets.
In an exclusive interview with GB News, Graham Stuart, Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, also said it could unlock the key to levelling up.
He told Gloria De Piero: “Let’s be clear, if we don't peak our emissions pretty well immediately and have significant cuts by 2030, then the planet will continue to heat up.
"And the weakest and poorest on the planet will suffer the most. So that's the big picture.
Graham Stuart said net zero could unlock the key to levelling up
GB News
“But I think the UK has got a tremendous opportunity. When we took over the COP Presidency only 30% of global wealth was covered by net zero pledges.
"By the time we'd finished it was 90 per cent. If you look at the UK and you see all our offshore wind, we’ve done a tremendous job of developing under this Government.
"That’s why I think going forward there's a real chance that we could actually have amongst the most competitive electricity prices in Europe.
"In a largely electrified economy, there's more jobs and they are likely to be in the Northeast, the Northwest, Scotland, Wales, the very areas which when we talk about levelling up.”
Stuart continued: “I think Net Zero, although it's seen as some sort of green conceit by some, actually offers an opportunity for economic renaissance for the UK and industrial renaissance.
"And that's very much the vision. Rolling out renewables is actually lowering the cost of our energy system. It's expensive fossil fuels, which are making everyone's energy bill so high at the moment. So we are going hell for leather to increase and capture all the green energy.
“If we can deliver all that, then we've done right by the planet, but we've also done right by the handyman driving his van and families up and down the country.”
Meanwhile, Stuart also told GB News about the now infamous fracking vote which he oversaw and which led to the end of Liz Truss’ reign.
Reflecting on what happened he explained how Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce later grabbed him with both arms to ensure he didn’t pull out of the BBC show the day after the vote.
The Climate minister said the infamous fracking vote which he oversaw led to the end of Liz Truss’ reign
PA
Describing the vote he said: “I was ready to sum up in a packed house during a rather fractious debate when I suddenly got the message behind. Someone said ‘have you seen your phone Graham?’
"And this was two minutes before I had to begin the summary… I looked at it and it said, ‘Number 10 wants confirmation that you'll say it's not a confidence vote. So I was like, okay, good soldier, I'll say it. So I stood up. and I tried just to slip it in.
“To be fair to Ed Miliband, he was hot to trot on it. He's been around and he was bouncing up and down relentlessly So there we are.”
Admitting he had a stiff drink that night he continued: “The following day Liz Truss resigned. I was on Question Time and I had everyone coming on from Number 10 saying you're pulling out of Question Time?
"To which I said, well, I don't think so. And then everyone through the day was telling me, are you actually going on until eventually Fiona Bruce took me with both hands on my arms. She said oh we can't believe you're here. At which point I was thinking, what am I doing? What am I doing here?"