Hove constituents meet Peter Kyle MP at nationwide Warm This Winter mass lobby

On April 1, constituents met with Peter Kyle MP at Hove Rugby Club as part of the nationwide Warm This Winter mass lobby. This event was one of more than 80 taking place across the UK this spring.

Becky Ward, Brighton Greenpeace Group Co-ordinator, shared messages that were collected from local people about how they are experiencing the cost of living crisis and that they want solutions such as home insulation.

Becky said: “We are asking MPs in Brighton and Hove to pledge to call for the expansion of Government-funded home insulation schemes, heat pump installation, more investment in renewable energy, and further support for vulnerable households with their energy bills. The Energy Bill is the opportunity to legislate for this and create an energy system that works for the constituents of Brighton and Hove."

Peter Kyle MP said: “Labour would have frozen energy prices at the rate they were last summer.”

He said that Labour is fully committed to carbon-free electricity production by 2030. He said that he has de-carbonised his flat now and continues to understand more about energy. Peter Kyle also said that it is very important that new homes are being built with saving energy costs in mind. He also said that, despite huge profits, Shell has not paid and any windfall tax since last August.

Helen Ledger from Lansdown Road area said: “We’re really pleased that Caroline Lucas MP pledged to call for the expansion of Government-funded home insulation schemes, heat pump installation, more investment in renewable energy, and further support for vulnerable households with their energy bills. We look forward to hearing from her soon about how they’re pushing for the Energy Bill to work for the constituents of Brighton and make our homes warmer and bills cheaper.”

The recent Spring Statement failed to commit any new money to keep homes warm.

Greenpeace Brighton volunteers are calling for £5.3bn in new cash for home insulation, £14bn of emergency support for households struggling with bills, and £3.3bn to roll out cheap, clean heating in our homes to get the UK off gas once and for all.

Greenpeace says we also need to triple renewable energy by 2030, and stop new oil and gas extraction. The Energy Bill is the next opportunity to legislate for these measures and build a secure energy future, with cheaper bills and warmer, greener homes.