Ed Miliband was under intense scrutiny from broadcasters this morning over the tension between his government’s expansion plans and its climate goals.
The energy security and net zero secretary previously opposed projects like the expansion of Heathrow Airport, which Labour just approved, and the development of the Rosebank oilfield, which the government now seems to be considering.
He even threatened to resign over the prospect of building a third runway when he was part of Gordon Brown’s cabinet in 2009 and refused to back it in a 2018 Commons vote.
He also previously described Rosebank as “climate vandalism” and “a colossal waste of taxpayer money” when Labour were in opposition.
But now he sits in the cabinet which has already given the go ahead to a third Heathrow runway in the name of economic growth.
Prime minister Keir Starmer also claimed on Thursday that oil and gas will be a “big part of the future for decades”, hinting that the Rosefield may not be blocked after all.
So on LBC, Nick Ferrari asked the cabinet minister: “Do you sometimes feel you’re not being listened to, Mr Miliband?”
“Not at all!” He replied.
“You’re, respectably, not winning those two are you? That’s Miliband 0, government 2.”
But Miliband just said they have to go through a “proper objective process” before deciding anything when it comes to Rosebank, and that the Heathrow expansion would have to be in line with the UK’s climate goals.
Miliband faced similar questions on BBC Breakfast when presenter Charlie Stayt asked if he was actually now in favour of further Heathrow development or if he was “just going along with the crowd”.
“I’m part of a government that has said it wants to invite applications from Heathrow for a third runway, it has got to pass strict environmental conditions and meet our climate targets,” the minister replied.
“Obviously I’m part of the government and I abide by collective responsibility, so that is my position.”
However, Miliband did just stop short of saying he was fully in favour of such an expansion.
“Sounds like you’re trying to obfuscate yourself from the decision making process,” Stayt replied.
But Miliband said he was “part of the decision-making process” and the cabinet has come to a “collective decision”.
Miliband told Times Radio today that any Heathrow plans “will have to meet strict environmental standards, be within our carbon budgets and from a climate point of view”.
The energy secretary also claimed the government’s hopes for economic growth and its climate ambitions are “not in opposition”.
He said: “The drive to clean energy, the drive to net zero is the biggest economic opportunity we have of the 21st century.”
The government faced major backlash from environmentalists – and within its own party – when it announced it was going to expand Heathrow last month, despite promising to be a leader when it comes to tackling the climate crisis.
Labour also promised not to approve any new licences for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea during the general election, although it did say it would not withdraw any licences approved by the last government.
Rosebank’s application was declared unlawful by a court in Scotland last week because it did not consider the impact of the carbon emissions from the oil produced, meaning a new application for Rosebank needs to be submitted.
But, speaking to Sky News on Thursday, prime minister Keir Starmer hinted that the government would not be blocking that development if they put forward another application.
He said: “We do need to transition to clean power, but in relation to this particular licence, it was granted in the first place, it’s going back through that process.
“I can’t pre-empt the decision but you know we did say that where licences have already been granted we wouldn’t interfere with them.”
