Ed Miliband Breaks Silence on Explosive Zonal Pricing Plans
Net Zero Minister Ed Miliband has hit back at claims that a proposed reform to the UK’s electricity pricing system could lead to soaring bills for millions of households. The controversy centres around fears reported by The Telegraph that a new “zonal pricing” model could create a postcode lottery, with areas paying different electricity rates based on local supply and demand.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Miliband, who serves as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, dismissed the concerns in strong terms.
“This is copper-bottomed nonsense,” he said firmly. “No decision has been made. This is an incredibly complex question that we are looking at about how we reform our energy market.”
He outlined that the Government is weighing two main options—zonal pricing and reformed national pricing—and stressed that affordability would be at the core of any final decision, as told to The Independent.
“Whatever route we go down, my bottom line is bills have got to fall, and they should fall throughout the country. I’m not about to introduce a postcode lottery,” he said.
Miliband reiterated the same point in interviews with LBC and Sky News, stating, “I’m not going to take a decision that is going to raise prices in some parts of the country… this is about reforms to cut prices for people, that is my absolute bottom line here.”
As the energy debate heats up, Miliband has also introduced a significant amendment to the Great British Energy Bill. The new provision ensures the state-owned energy company avoids sourcing materials linked to forced labour when building renewable infrastructure like solar panels and wind turbines. The amendment targets supply chains connected to alleged human rights abuses in China.
Although Miliband admitted he felt “queasy” dealing with regimes accused of using slave labour, he argued that cutting ties entirely was unrealistic.
“We’ve got to engage with China,” he said. “They’re the biggest global emitter. We’ve got to persuade them to come on this journey, because this is a collective action problem… Unless we do this together, we are going to be held in infamy by future generations.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a £300 million boost for domestic offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Government’s two-day energy security summit in London, co-hosted with the International Energy Agency.
“Let my message to the world go out: come and build the clean energy future in Britain,” Starmer said, encouraging international investment.
Environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, welcomed the investment but warned that the UK must double down on renewables to avoid future energy shocks and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
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