Strong cross-party support for renewable expansion

Strong cross-party support for expansion of UK renewable energy infrastructure has been highlighted in a survey.

The YouGov poll, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, found that 8 in 10 would welcome further developments, including nearly two thirds (65%) of Reform supporters despite the party recently announcing that it would scrap energy companies’ renewables subsidies. Approval among Conservative supporters was also high at 83%.

The findings come after more than 50 leading businesses, unions and campaigning organisations wrote to the Prime Minister last month to mark 100 days until the government is due to publish its revised climate action plan. They urged Keir Starmer to “seize the enormous economic opportunities that producing a bold, ambitious plan to tackle the climate emergency will bring”.

Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said: “While some parties are opposing climate action just as extreme weather is intensifying, our polling shows that transformative climate policies remain popular with voters of all stripes – particularly when they’re designed in a way that’s fair, or can help boost our struggling economy.”