Miliband accuses Farage of spreading ‘nonsense and lies’ over net zero and steel crisis

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🗞️ Driving the news: UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has accused Nigel Farage and Reform UK of spreading “nonsense and lies” by blaming net zero policies for the crisis facing British Steel
• Miliband defended the government’s clean energy agenda, stating that abandoning net zero would not only risk environmental collapse but also jeopardise the future of clean energy employment in the UK
• The accusations come amid a heated political climate ahead of local elections, with Miliband also criticising the Conservatives for aligning with anti-net zero rhetoric

🔭 The context: The UK steel industry, particularly the Scunthorpe-based British Steel plant, has faced mounting pressure due to rising input costs and global supply issues
• Farage has tied these challenges to the UK’s net zero targets, arguing they hinder domestic coal use and energy independence
• However, the government has countered that UK coal sources like the Cumbrian mine are unsuitable for steel production
• Miliband links the industry’s challenges to fossil fuel price volatility beginning in 2022, which he says hurt national finances and energy security

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The UK’s net zero by 2050 target is central to its climate strategy, influencing energy, industry, and infrastructure policies
• Claims that climate goals are to blame for economic strain risk undermining public support for the transition
• Conversely, strategic clean energy investment — if decoupled from misinformation — can reduce fossil fuel dependency, foster domestic green jobs, and enhance resilience to future energy shocks

⏭️ What's next: Labour is expected to reaffirm its clean energy commitments at the upcoming International Energy Agency conference in London
• Political tensions are set to escalate ahead of the 1 May local elections, where narratives around energy policy, economic security, and net zero will likely play a central role

💬 One quote: “They will make up any old nonsense and lies to pursue their ideological agenda” — Ed Miliband, Energy Secretary

📈 One stat: 1,641 council seats across 23 English authorities are up for election on 1 May, a key test of public sentiment on energy, economy, and environment

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Liberty Steel and its peers BlueScope Steel, ArcelorMittal, and SSAB

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