I will overturn the ban on new onshore wind farms

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Sir Keir Starmer will overturn a ban on new onshore wind farms as one of his first acts in Downing Street if Labor wins the next election.

The leader of the opposition will vow to “throw it all out” on his net agenda by firing the starting gun in a “race” to build more turbines across the country.

He will unveil plans to shred planning laws and halve the time it takes for projects to be approved, from two years to less than 12 months.

During a speech in Scotland on Monday, he will tell voters they will save hundreds of pounds on their bills under his vision of making Britain a “clean energy superpower”.

Labor says it plans to lift the de facto ban on new wind farms in England, which the Conservatives introduced in 2012, during their “early months” in power.

But he will make the speech after more accusations of “volatile volatility” after he toned down plans to end new oil and gas projects in the North Sea.

“The Race of Our Lives”

Sir Keir will tell an audience in Scotland: “We can cut bills, create jobs, and provide energy security for Britain – that’s what a Labor government will deliver.”

“We have to roll up our sleeves and start building things, running into the barriers — the planning system, lack of skills, investor confidence, network.

“If the status quo isn’t good enough – we must find the fixes that can restart our engine.

“I will not accept a situation where our planning system means it takes 13 years to build an offshore wind farm.”

He will add: “We will throw everything at this: reform planning, procurement, long-term financing, research and development, a strategic plan for skills and supply chains.

“We have to seize new opportunities. This is the race of our lives and the prize is real.”

Labor’s energy plan, due to be published Monday, will formally commit to reversing the onshore wind ban during its first year in office.

But a source close to Sir Keir said he plans to move forward faster and bring the legislation to the House of Commons within months, adding: “We will get this forward as quickly as possible.”

Sir Keir has pledged to reduce the planning process for rolling out new turbines “from years to months” and double production from onshore wind by 2030.

The decade-long embargo added £182 a year to a typical household’s bills by making Britain more dependent on expensive imported energy, he claims.

The workers pledged to create a net zero electricity grid by 2030.

Sir Keir’s speech comes after the Conservatives and some members of his own party criticized him for watering down two of his key green energy pledges.

He softened his pledge to end all new oil and gas projects in the North Sea after they came under fire from unions for putting thousands of jobs at risk.

The announcement comes after Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, admitted the party’s flagship green prosperity plan had been delayed.

Labor has pledged to spend £28bn a year on climate-friendly policies, but has now said it will not reach that target until it has been in power for at least two and a half years.

Former Conservative minister Esther McPhee said on Twitter:

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