Election letters 2019 / More subsidies to energy consumers to cut fuel poverty
So John Tulloch wants to talk fuel poverty. I’m not sure why he says no one is concerned.
Shetland’s Partnership plan 2018-2028 shows that 53 per cent of households in Shetland spend over 10 per cent of their income on energy bills.
In Shetland we need warm homes – homes need to be insulated fully, draught proofed and heating systems need to be upgraded to something efficient and less dependent on fossil fuels.
Labour, together with the unions, are supporting a just transition from jobs in fossil fuels to jobs insulating and retro-fitting greener heating into homes.
This will support the bold and ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2045 at the latest. I feel we also need a traffic light ratings system so that we can make better choices as consumers – with goods and services rated green to red according to how green they actually are.
I also feel the whole energy market is in chaos and makes little sense. Huge subsidies are paid to nuclear and renewables companies and yet prices are constantly rising for consumers.
If publicly and co-operatively owned, energy providers would not be producing any energy for any market but just enough for ourselves, at a reasonable cost to consumers.
Is it just me or is every business in Shetland phoned every five minutes to renew their energy contract? Is it fair that if you don’t make the effort to phone to renew, they put you on the worst tariff?
It is a completely false and rigged market, which is not working, and the government are not doing enough to help the very poorest with things like prepayment meters, or trying to assist home owners when they actually do make greener choices.
Instead of paying the energy companies, the subsidies could be paid to the consumers if they make the right choices, and the government will not miss its own climate targets.
Scottish Labour believes Scotland should grasp the opportunity to lead the UK on climate change, and Shetland should be at the forefront of this too.
Johan Adamson
Labour candidate fro the Shetland by-election
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