Richard Tice takes aim at Claire Coutinho after announcing plan to scrap Net Zero: 'The Tories created this disaster!'

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Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to put 'cleaner, cheaper and more reliable power' and ditch Net Zero

Richard Tice has launched a scathing attack on the Conservatives as Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho unveiled the party's plan to scrap Net Zero.

Speaking to GB News, the Deputy Leader of Reform UK argued although he is "optimistic" about their new direction, the Tories "created the disaster that it Net Zero".

Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Ms Coutinho said that "one of the biggest problems" Britain faces today is "the fact that we have the highest electricity prices in the developed world".

She said: "There is simply no such thing as a high growth, low energy country. And as our electricity has got cleaner, it's also got more expensive. That means we are using less of it, just as the rest of the world is using more.

"Our entire energy policy was based on this promise that all this wind and solar was going to cut bills, and yet, when I combed through the spreadsheets put in front of me, I realise that they didn't have the evidence there to back it up.

"The truth is that too much wind and solar creates all of these extra hidden costs. It's like a Ryanair flight - the ticket might look cheap, but once you pay for a bag, a seat and a sandwich - you realise you've been stung."

Reacting to the move, Mr Tice told GB News: "I'm very proud that we've moved the Conservative Party from its previously disastrous position of promoting Net Zero towards actually getting rid of it.

"My issue about this report is that whilst it's a step in the right direction, it's still trying to sort of sit on the fence and be all things to all men and women. The simple reality is that if you keep pushing down more renewables, you have to have more backup for when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine."

Mr Tice argued we need to produce "a lot more gas" and "a lot more nuclear" rather than replace the renewables once they expire.

He said: "My issue is we need a lot more gas, and yes, we need more nuclear, but as the current renewables expire, the wind turbines offshore as they basically wear out, which they will, what mustn't happen is to replace them, because the cost of all of the renewables, which we were told would bring bills down, has actually increased bills.

"And just in the last couple of days, the Government has unbelievably announced that it's going to subsidise more gas production because it's suddenly realised that you need lots of backup."

Mr Tice continued: "The confusion around all of this, you cannot sit on the fence and have the best of both worlds. So what we're saying is actually, you've got to be bolder, braver, and say, yes, more nuclear.

"Of course, we're all up for that, but we've got lots of gas in the North Sea and indeed onshore gas, and we should be using that and promoting it."

The Reform deputy leader urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the Labour Government to "change course dramatically" and also scrap Net Zero policy.

He told GB News: "I will continue to bring the Conservative Party towards where they need to be in order to bring bills down, but I don't want to wait that long, I want to get on with it.

"And I want to urge this Government to change course dramatically, because just in the last couple of weeks, we've literally seen the risk of blackouts, the risk of a shortage of energy, some days we've been importing almost 30 per cent electricity from our good friends, the French and other European partners."

Asked by host Miriam Cates how Reform would "fund the capital investment that's required to make these changes", Mr Tice made clear the "faster and cheaper route is a lot more gas, and not to replace the renewables".

He concluded: "What I see in this report is a wish to continue replacing renewables along the way, and I think that is completely wrong. So a blend of gas and nuclear is what is required and less renewables as they essentially wear out, that's the key thing.

"Because otherwise, it's a simple basic maths, the cost of renewables plus backup must cost more than backup.

"And that's what this Government is finding out after the Conservatives, of course, created this disaster, when actually, guess what, Claire Coutinho was the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in 2023!"