In an interview with The Independent ahead of his party’s conference in Manchester this weekend, Adrian Ramsay dismissed the personal claims made against him by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, among others.
The debate has centred around objections to pylons being built through his picturesque Waveney constituency, which straddles the Norfolk/Suffolk border in East Anglia. The 114-mile (184km) scheme is expected to run from Norwich to Tilbury in Essex and would transfer energy generated from offshore wind farms to the South East and London.
Labour used the row to portray the Greens as “hypocrites” who really oppose the clean energy infrastructure needed to move Britain’s energy supply from carbon-based fuel, including gas, coal and oil, to clean alternatives.
Sir Keir said it was “extraordinary” that Mr Ramsay was “opposing vital clean energy infrastructure”. But Mr Ramsay told The Independent the debate is really about Labour seeking “to do the easy things and avoid doing the difficult things”. The plan to push ahead with erecting pylons in his rural constituency is one of these easy answers when other solutions are available, he claimed.
Mr Ramsay added: “The question that you are highlighting is around: how do we connect the new wind farms that are in the North Sea to London and the South East, where energy is needed? And there’s a range of ways that you could do that.
“Clearly, we need to connect the energy. But the last [Tory] government and the current [Labour] government have just been pressing ahead with one option, which is to have a new route of pylons that goes through East Anglia.
Esta historia es de la edición September 06, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 06, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
What can stop Verstappen winning fifth straight title?
It is rare that we learn fresh pieces of detail about drivers on the Formula One grid.
Mo' money, mo' goals - why Salah is worth the gamble
As clear and emphatic as Mohamed Salah’s words on Sunday were, something was still left unsaid.
Guardiola: 'It will be a bad season by our standards'
But after five losses in a row, Man City's manager is defiant
West Ham hit Newcastle on counter to ease pressure
Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka combined to burst Newcastle’s bubble as West Ham handed under-pressure boss Julen Lopetegui breathing space with a priceless Premier League away win.
Flood-proofing homes now will prevent future misery
One thing most people would agree on: Britain urgently needs new homes.
Chancellor has gone from cosying up to confrontation
Rachel Reeves urgently needs a new script – and some pizzazz.
CBI boss warns Budget will mean fewer jobs are created
Half of UK companies will cut jobs and two-thirds will recruit fewer staff, according to the boss of the UK's top business lobby group.
Man who drugged wife in mass rape case should serve 20 years, say prosecutors
French prosecutors have sought a 20-year prison term for Dominique Pelicot, accusing him of facilitating the mass rape of his wife Gisele Pelicot by dozens of men, drugging her unconscious, and sharing pictures and videos of her sexual assault.
Thousands arrested at Khan protests as Pakistan capital put under police lockdown
Pakistani authorities arrested more than 4,000 supporters of Imran Khan, including five parliamentarians, ahead of a rally demanding the release of the former prime minister from prison, where he has been held for over a year.
One dead after DHL cargo plane crashes in Lithuania
A DHL cargo plane has crashed into a house near the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, killing at least one of four people on board.