Polling by Opinium Research on behalf of RenewableUK has found that 67% of voters who supported the Conservatives in the last general election but intend to vote Labour think that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is not doing enough to support renewable energy in the UK.
57% of those polled also said that government is not investing enough in the green economy or taking enough action on climate change. Only 7% of switching voters and 6% of current Conservative voters think the government has gone too far in increasing renewable energy in the UK.
A majority of switching voters (58%) also believe that growing the renewable energy sector will benefit the UK economy overall, with only 11% disagreeing. 59% agreed that the sector will provide good jobs in parts of the UK outside London and the South East.
In a blog post, RenewableUK chief executive Dan McGrail voiced concern that in the wake of last week’s byelection in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, that “there’s briefing coming from both Labour and the Conservatives that suggests that both are reviewing their party’s stance on decarbonisation”.
McGrail cautioned against rolling back net zero policies like the ULEZ expansion in London and the 2030 cutoff for selling internal combustion engine cars, saying that “it is green industries which are providing the new tax revenues which can given the Chancellor the fiscal room to put in place tax adjustments and incentives which will make the UK a more competitive place for green manufacturing.”
As @renewableuk publishes polling by @OpiniumResearch showing the overwhelming majority of voters support #renewableenergy, @RenewableUKCEO Dan McGrail urges Prime Minister @RishiSunak to go further and faster on #netzero. ⚡️ https://t.co/bVxae1tHyn pic.twitter.com/7NcKo4d7tL
— RenewableUK (@RenewableUK) July 26, 2023
Policies to support renewable industries, like ramping up investment to make the UK a net energy exporter by 2030 enjoy considerable support, at 88% among swing voters.
Investing in ports and tax cuts to support offshore wind and its supply chain command 75% and 65% support respectively. Voters see these policies as more deliverable than the Prime Minister’s five pledges, like stopping migrant boats crossing the channel, or reducing inflation.
Meanwhile, 52% of swing voters think that the Chancellor should focus on attracting investment into wind energy rather than fossil fuels.
RenewableUK’s head of strategic communications Nathan Bennett said: “Following last week’s by-election, some commentators are suggesting the whole green agenda is unpopular. This polling has shown that to be totally unfounded. There is clear support for renewables and the development of the green economy, as well as the policies which would underpin a green industrial strategy, like the development of our ports and incentives from the Chancellor which would help to grow the offshore wind supply chain.”
“There’s more support for green measures than there is for some of the Prime Minister’s five key pledges like stopping the boats. They have the added appeal that voters see green industrial strategy as far more deliverable that the Prime Minister’s pledges,” Bennet added.
Conservative MP Sir Alok Sharma, who served as the President of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26, said: “This polling is a ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ moment for the siren voices arguing that watering down the Government’s green growth agenda will be a vote winner – it clearly won’t.”
“On the contrary, the Government now needs to speed up delivery of key policies in response to the recent Climate Change Committee report, including on expanding the UK’s renewables sector which will ultimately bring down household bills and improve the UK’s energy security”.
