Con-Dem government's 'recipe for muddle and confusion' on energy – Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband MP, Labour's Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, today told the House of Commons that the coalition’s energy policy is only papering over the cracks and fails to deliver the long term coherence and certainty that the country needs.Ed Miliband said:"In this area above all the country needs a clear sense of direction. Instead this is a government with not one, not two but three positions on new nuclear:"A government notionally in favour of it."A Liberal Democrat representative who will speak against it."And the party itself that will sit on the fence in any vote."We always knew being a Lib Dem in opposition meant not having to choose but old habits seem to die hard."If this government carries on as it has started, fudging some key differences, papering over the cracks, it will be a recipe for muddle and confusion and not the long-term direction we need."Their renewables policy doesn’t yet add up because they have Lib Dem targets with Tory planning policy."Their nuclear policy doesn’t add up because they have three positions."And on industrial policy, the risk is that short-term cuts will deny us the long-term economic strength we need."In the months ahead we will be holding them to account to deliver – because it is in everyone in this country’s interests that we deliver on fairness, on energy security, and on climate change."