Author Archives: Will Straw

The Independent View: Cross-party amendment to decarbonise power by 2030 needed to stop Osborne

The Independent reports this morning that pro-green Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs are considering a rebel amendment to the Energy Bill to create a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2030. The policy is critical to reducing carbon emissions and energy bills in the long run and creating jobs and growth.

Last week, Ed Davey revealed the details of the Government’s much anticipated Energy Bill which will be introduced to Parliament today. In exchange for an extremely positive and welcome outcome for the renewable sector up to 2020, Davey lost his battle to include a 2030 decarbonisation target …

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged and | 15 Comments

The Independent View: Labour and Lib Dems must show a willingness to work together

As a long-term believer in the need for a more progressive politics, I take no great joy in the spate of polls showing the Liberal Democrats in free fall.

The latest projections from UK Polling Report show that a Lib Dem collapse to 15% in the polls would deliver a Conservative majority of 18 and the balance of power being held by the Tory right rather than the Lib Dem right. The Lib Dem concessions on inheritance tax, capital gains tax, and Europe – for which they should be praised – would go in a flash.

But the Lib Dems …

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged , and | 42 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • FS People
    So it does sound like the view across the board is defence of the status quo....
  • Chris Cory
    Not quite sure what would constitute "ungovernable" but the idea (@Paul Barker) that this is "bollox" (like the Irish spelling, somehow makes it feel less aggre...
  • Paul Reynolds
    NOTE FOR READERS. Since we have almost zero information from Burnham on his foreign, security and defence policy approach (and that of international trade), I h...
  • Rif Winfield
    There is little sign that Labour's much-vaunted 1.5 million homes programme during the current Parliament is going to come to fruition, even with the planning r...
  • expats
    Tristan, % differences are largely meaningless.. Germany boasts a nominal GDP of approximately $5.4 trillion, making it Europe's largest economy. The UK's no...