Ed Miliband has attacked politicians who are trying to turn the net zero debate “into a culture war issue” and warned that the British public would not forgive them.
The energy secretary was making his first appearance since the election in front of the Commons energy and net zero committee to explain some of the decisions he has made to push the decarbonising agenda.
But his session before MPs came in the wake of leading figures on the right including Nigel Farage and former prime minister Liz Truss appearing at the launch of a climate change denial lobby group.
The two were seen at the event for the Heartland Institute, a US-based lobby group that has previously made extreme statements expressing scepticism of climate change, launched its UK-EU branch last month, based in London.
open image in galleryEd Miliband speaks to the energy and net zero committee (Parliament TV)
Both Farage and Truss along with their supporters have attacked attempts to bring down CO2 levels and prevent climate change including the push for electric cars and end of dependence on gas.
Mr Farage has taken similar lines to his friend and ally president-elect Donald Trump who has described net zero as “a hoax”.
Mr Miliband went out of his way to praise senior Tories like for COP28 chairman Lord Alok Sharma and former prime minister Theresa May for being part of the cross party consensus in trying to achieve net zero.
Mrs May was the guest speaker at a major conference in New York organised by The Independent last year where she denounced the climate change deniars including Farage and Trump.
However, Labour have been critical of Rishi Sunak watering down net zero policies when he was prime minister and comments made on the issue by Kemi Badenoch.
Addressing MPs in his opening remarks, Mr Miliband insisted that his policies to allow offshore windfarms, more solar panels on agricultural fields and end use of fossil fuels is to protectworking people “from the rollercoasterof fossil fuel markets”and reliance on autocratic regimes which mostly control supply.
But he warned that if the UK is to tackle the climate crisis it will require political consensus.
open image in galleryFarage was guest of honour at the lobby group launch (The Heartland Institute)
He said: “The climate crisis is not just some theoretical prospect but something we see playing out around us not least in the devastating scenes in Los Angeles.”
Mr Miliband went on: “People will look back at this time and ask if we acted with the urgency this situation demanded.
“It is right to say that there are people who oppose our mission. Siren voices wh would defend the status quo despite the disastrous effects that it has had on the British people. Who say it would be better gambling on our fossil fuel markets. Ihave to saythat would be a betrayal of British working people and leave our country exposed.”
He added: “As I reflect on addressing these issues around climate and energy over the last 18 years, I actually think this country has been at best when we have worked across party on these issues. The gains we have made have been across parties. I want to work with people across political parties where we can.
“I don’t think the British people want this issue to be turned into a culture war issue.”