Letters / We get what we vote for

The recent splurge, in the Shetland News opinion section, has made some interesting (mind boggling) reading.

Without prattling on, at length, on a “personal opinion” basis I think it’s important we look at what our political parties have to say on UK energy policy. At the end of the day, it is because of the UK political system we find ourselves where we are today and the sooner we understand that the better.

Note 1: An AI search engine has been utilised for all of below. The bulk of the information supplied by the search engine comes directly from the political parties’ websites and has simply been collated into headline pledges.
Note 2: The point of this letter – To a degree, we get what we vote for.

Let’s start with the Lib Dems, who the majority of Shetland voted for and mandated at both Holyrood and Westminster:-

The Liberal Democrats have developed an ambitious green policy platform focused on responding to the climate and nature emergency. Some of the headline pledges and policies include:

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Net-Zero Commitments:

• Pledge to move the UK’s legally binding net-zero target forward to 2045, earlier than current government plans.
• Target for 90% of electricity generation to be from renewable sources by 2030.
• Reinstate the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans, which had previously been pushed to 2035.
• Appointment of a Chief Secretary for Sustainability in the Treasury to ensure cross-departmental cooperation on green goals.

On a side note, away from energy. For Farmers and Fishing:

•  Doubling the Protected Area network, key wildlife habitats, species abundance, and woodland coverage by 2050.
• Protecting at least 30% of land and sea areas by 2030.
• Creating a strong network of marine protected areas, supported by robust management to promote recovery of seabird and marine populations

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Labour – In government (Majority)  

The Labour Party’s green policies in 2025 focus on making the UK a “clean energy superpower” by integrating ambitious climate, energy, and nature goals with economic regeneration and cost-of-living relief. Here are the most important elements:

Key Labour Green Policy Commitments
Clean Energy & Emissions

• 2030 Clean Power Mission: Achieve 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2030 through rapid expansion of renewables—removing Conservative restrictions on onshore wind, boosting offshore wind and solar, and upgrading the power grid.
• Labour targets an 81% reduction in UK emissions by 2035 as part of its updated Nationally Determined Contribution presented at COP29.
• Great British Energy: Establish a publicly-owned energy company (Great British Energy, GBE) headquartered in Scotland, with an initial £8.3billion investment to co-invest in offshore wind, floating turbines, tidal, carbon capture, hydrogen, and other emerging clean technologies. GBE aims to lower bills, create jobs, and boost local projects.
• Labour plans regulatory reform to empower local authorities to proactively identify and approve sites for renewable generation.
• While Labour had pledged £28billion/year for green investment, the plan was scaled back in early 2025 to £23.7billion across the whole parliament; much funding has been directed to large projects like Sizewell C and small-scale nuclear, with slightly less for wind and solar.

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SNP – in government (minority)

The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) green policies focus on climate action, nature protection, renewable energy, and a “just transition” for workers and communities. Here is an overview of their main environmental aims and how these are being implemented as of 2025:

Climate and Emissions:

• Net Zero Target: Scotland aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with ambitious interim targets. Key measures include phasing out the need for petrol and diesel vehicles by 2032 and expanding renewable energy (targeting 50% of all energy—heat, transport, electricity—from renewables by 2030).
• Climate Justice Fund: The SNP champions climate justice, recognising climate change impacts on the world’s poorest and their human rights.
• Renewables: Scotland leads on renewable power and plans further expansion, especially wind and marine. The SNP encourages robust planning for renewables and grid support, including a wider supply chain for new jobs.
• Oil & Gas: The current SNP position is more cautious than in past years:They insist that “any further extraction must be consistent with climate obligations and energy security, decided on a case-by-case basis via a robust climate compatibility assessment.” This is weaker than a flat ban on new oil and gas (as called for by the Scottish Greens), but slightly more strict than previous positions of open support for continued extraction.
• The SNP has pledged a £500million “just transition fund” for the North East, focused on supporting workers and communities as the region moves from fossil fuels to cleaner industries.

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Conservatives

The UK Conservative Party’s green policy in 2025 sees a marked shift in tone compared to previous years, with leader Kemi Badenoch publicly stating that the UK’s legally-binding net-zero by 2050 target is “impossible” without either major reductions in living standards or bankruptcy. She proposes a “policy renewal programme” and a review of energy and net-zero strategies, emphasising more pragmatic and economically cautious approaches to environmental policy and energy transition:-

Key Conservative Green Policy Positions (2025):

• Net-Zero by 2050: Badenoch has distanced the Conservatives from the formerly cross-party consensus on net-zero by 2050, arguing it is currently “unfeasible.” There is no alternative timeline confirmed; however, the party remains supportive of the overall direction towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, just not the 2050 deadline.
• Clean Energy and Infrastructure: Conservatives highlight willingness to support clean energy, but with stronger emphasis on market-led solutions rather than large-scale state intervention. They claim recent climate strategies produced increasing energy costs with insufficient environmental progress, thus calling for a reset based on cost-effectiveness.
• New Oil and Gas Licences: The Conservative Party manifesto pledges to support annual licensing rounds for oil and gas production and open new gas power stations to supplement renewable generation capacity during the transition. This is at odds with more ambitious climate goals, as it allows continued expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.·
• Economics and Implementation: The party’s current stance prioritizes reducing energy costs for consumers and avoiding “eye-watering bills,” with promises to protect both business and household finances. The new leadership is skeptical about the overall cost and pace of UK climate action under previous plans, suggesting a need to “reboot government” to serve public interest.

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Green Party

The Green Party’s green policies for 2025 are the most ambitious of the major UK parties, aiming for swift decarbonisation, radical investment in renewables, and restoration of nature. Here are the key points:

Climate Targets

• Net Zero by 2040: The Green Party sets the UK’s most ambitious legislative target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions—2040. This goes further than Labour (by 2050), Lib Dems/SNP (by 2045), and Conservatives (2050, now questioned).
• Carbon Tax: Levy a robust, rising carbon tax on all fossil fuels (domestic and imported), proportional to lifecycle emissions, designed to accelerate a shift to clean energy and fund the transition.

Clean Energy and Fossil Fuels:

• Accelerated Renewable Rollout:
• Wind to provide ~70% of UK electricity by 2030.
• Deliver 80GW offshore wind, 53GW onshore wind, and 100GW solar by 2035.Remove investment and planning barriers, prioritize locally owned/community energy projects, and mandate a minimum level of community ownership in new infrastructure.

Fossil Fuel Phase-Out:

• Cancel all new fossil fuel licences (including Rosebank) and halt all new extraction projects.
• No oil/gas subsidies; phase out nuclear energy, arguing renewables deliver energy quicker and cheaper

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Reform UK

Reform UK’s green policies, as of 2025, are characterised by opposition to mainstream climate action commitments and promote a roll-back of environmental regulations and subsidies.

Net Zero and Climate Target:

• Reform UK calls for the scrapping of the UK’s legally-binding net-zero target.
• They propose cutting all subsidies for renewable energy.
• This stance opposes the mainstream consensus on urgent climate measures and aims to prioritize economic growth and energy affordability over decarbonization.

Renewable Energy and Subsidies

• Reform UK explicitly supports halting subsidies for renewables and reducing regulatory burdens linked to green energy.
• They argue these policies increase energy costs and damage economic competitiveness.

General Environmental Approach:

• Their policy platform broadly favours deregulation of environmental laws which they view as restrictive to development and business.
• Reform UK argues for prioritizing conventional energy sources and traditional industries over the green economy focus.

Note:- Environmental and economic analysts warn that if Reform UK’s proposals were implemented, it would lead to substantial setbacks in climate progress, harm international commitments, and cause increased pollution and carbon emissions in the UK.

Craig Johnson
Northmavine