So far in this series of articles, we have investigated the Labour Party proposals, Conservative Party proposals, and Green Party proposals. As the next General Election looms for July 4th, let’s investigate Reform UK’s policies. According to poll tracking, the Reform UK Party has the third most support across the UK, after the Labour and Conservative parties.
Reform UK has some very different offerings in their energy proposals when compared with the other parties. Formally known as the Brexit Party, Reform UK has always had a reputation for standing out. And their energy proposals are no different, with a focus on prioritising cheaper energy above renewable substitutes.
The key ways the party is proposing changes are:
- No to Net-Zero: the party will reverse all net zero policy
- Rejecting de-industrialisation policies
- Accelerate North Sea oil contracts
No to Net-Zero
Reform UK are proposing a different approach to net-zero, by removing current UK targets. The party proposes a complete overturn of the 2008 Climate Change Act, which sets the key UK net-zero goal for 2050..
Overall, the Party is proposing scrapping an annual £10 Billion of renewable energy subsidies and instead raise this through equivalent taxes on them.
Annual £10 Billion of Renewable Energy Subsidies.
No more expensive subsidies for renewables — they must stand on their own merit.
Reform UK
In addition, the party proposes revoking the 2023 Energy Bill. This is yet to be enacted but has a main purpose of “deliver a cleaner, more affordable and more secure energy system for the long term”. Within it’s measures, the Bill sets out to achieve this within “more home-grown energy from more diverse sources which reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels and our exposure to volatile and high prices in international markets”.
The Party also proposes the removal of green levies on electricity. These levies help to fund energy efficiency improvement schemes, such as the ECO4 scheme.
Reform UK plans to remove these levies – which they view as part of the “rigged market”. They believe that removing these levies will reduce electricity costs by 30%.
Domestic energy creation
Party leader Richard Tice says no other country has allowed its water firms to be under foreign control, which is why Reform UK proposes an end to foreign ownership of critical national infrastructure.
The companies currently distributing energy and water would continue to be run by private firms. However, the Party proposes that 50% would be owned by the government and 50% by “British pension funds”. This is part of Reform UK’s plan to strengthen UK energy security, by having more power in the UK rather than overseas.
Instead of foreign control or renewable substitutes, Reform UK hopes to “maximise Britain’s vast energy treasure of oil and gas“. If elected, they propose granting shale gas licences on test sites for 2 years.
Home energy users
In their policy proposals, Reform UK says they “will not force you to replace your gas or oil boilers with heat pumps”. Under the current government policy, no new gas boilers were to be installed from 2035. However, this policy has since been altered so that households will only have to replace their boiler in 2035 with a more efficient model if they are replacing it anyway. Reform UK are proposing scrapping this further, allowing the continuation of new gas boiler installations after 2035.
Reform UK also say they will remove the “coercion” on homeowners relating to energy efficiency expenditure.
