Overwhelming support at the campaign’s first Parliamentary event

“Local engagement in this campaign has really been such a game changer. It is so important to have supporters from the grassroots pushing this Bill to the top of the political tray.”

That was Wera Hobhouse MP at our first community energy event in Parliament on 2nd November. Ms Hobhouse sat on a panel with Hilary Benn MP, David Johnston MP, Will Handford (The National Trust’s Renewable Energy Programme Director), Tom Fyans (CPRE’s Interim CEO) and along with our very own Director Steve Shaw.

With all seats taken, people were packed in and crowded out the door. Some MPs and Peers who turned up were unable to physically enter the room – some stood in the corridor listening for over an hour, whilst others came back at the end to speak with us, offering to do more to help. This was a real show of the campaign’s strength from within the Houses of Parliament, with Lead Sponsor David Johnston MP stating: “I haven’t spoken to an MP who opposes it …you have to bear in mind that there are 5,000 different causes that we are all asked to support … I don’t think that the fact we’re at 311 rather than 511 is not because MPs are against it”. 

This clearly indicates sleeping support for our campaign that wide-scale pressure from the grassroots could unlock.

Halfway through our Q&A, Labour’s Energy Minister Dr Alan Whitehead MP announced that the Labour Front Bench are fully behind our improved version of the Local Electricity Bill, which we plan to have introduced into Parliament imminently (more info on that soon).

Thank you for backing this campaign and believing in it. As Wera Hobhouse said, you are the strength of this campaign. We have 311 MPs on board now but we need more support and activity to get the Government onside and see this over the line.

Please get involved and help continue the momentum: