Claire Perry O’Neill – 2023 Article on Support for Keir Starmer

A section of the article written by Claire Perry O’Neill, the former Conservative Climate Minister, in The Times on 9 January 2023.

My former party’s often cavalier approach to business and academia coupled with a post-Brexit reluctance to strategically engage with our European neighbours has damaged our ability to deliver the energy system we need and a full-scale reset of our domestic and international relationships, focused on calm, competent co-operation, is urgently needed.

Some of the latest policy proposals from Labour, such as industrial support for key green technologies and a national low-carbon wealth fund, look exciting and can only help the UK benefit from the economic opportunity driven by this great global pivot to a low-carbon economic system (although working out where the gaps are that government action should and can fill will be crucial to their success).

Even more important is their proposed focus on a new way of governing, focused on measurable outcomes not short-term shout-outs. Building a low-carbon, secure, affordable energy system for the UK is an immense challenge that needs sober, fact-driven, competent political leadership. I sense that is exactly what we will get should Labour win the next general election.