Simon Hughes MP

'Britain's energy future', Liberal Democrat Conference, Bournemouth

Conference, I want to tell you some home truths about timekeeping. Trust me.

The climate crisis is an issue where we don't have time on our side.

All intelligent life forms now acknowledge the desperate need for urgent action.

The world faces two crises: economic and environmental. They have common causes - short-sightedness and greed.

With the banking crisis we have seen how spectacularly unfettered markets can fail. But the global climate crisis is arguably the biggest market failure in human history. This will not be solved by markets alone. We must intervene.

This is a time for leadership at international, national and local level.

Globally, the world needs a deal that actually stops runaway climate change. We cannot compromise. That's why at the United Nations conference in Copenhagen a weak deal will be worse than a delayed deal.

Liberal Democrats are clear that the United Kingdom must accept its historic responsibility. Just as the UK led the world into the old industrial revolution with dirty coal, so the UK can lead the world into the new energy revolution with green technology.

I want once again to see Britannia rule the waves.

This week Gordon Brown has again talked about saving the world - this time by going to Copenhagen to secure the climate deal.

There should never have been a question as to whether the British Prime Minister should go to Copenhagen. Of course heads of government committed to global environmental rescue should be there.

Labour has had twelve years of government and failed to deliver. Don't judge them on rhetoric - judge them on record. In 2001, Labour ministers set a target for 10% of British electricity to come from renewables by 2010. Last years figures show we are barely halfway there.

Saul may have saved himself in time on the road to Damascus.

Gordon Brown, do you not understand that a last minute conversion on the road to Copenhagen does not redeem a wasted decade of opportunity? At home and across Europe.

Liberal Democrats know that the European Union is key to international success. In the European Parliament we and our allies have led the way.

A European energy supergrid now is the type of bold international infrastructure we need.

And at this critical time, it is incredible that the Conservatives are formally aligned with climate change deniers in Europe.

Mr Cameron, on Europe as on many things, we could not be more different. Not more then a cigarette paper between us? Your judgement is clearly impaired. There is no coherent Conservative energy policy at all. And it's not us who are hallucinating.

As a result of the financial crisis, we must take the opportunity for different national investment. We will put in place the financial mechanism for very large green capital investment in Britain.

And ethical policies abroad.

Which is why its an outrage that the Royal Bank of Scotland now uses public money to invest in Canadian tar sands - one of the dirtiest, most polluting fuels on the planet.

The whole leadership of this party is committed to make the green tax switch at the same time as delivering a fair tax system for all.

For the last twelve years the government has spent more and more time in bed with the giants of the energy industry. Its time for a political party to break down the door and let the light in. Its time they were decoupled.

The big six energy companies make fat profits - billions of pounds every year at a time when average energy bills have doubled in the last five years.

Tory and Labour have set up and continued a privatised energy industry where those who consume least pay most. Unfair and bad for the environment. Using more should cost more not less.

It is time for energy companies, like the banks, to be the servants of the people not their masters.

I want to highlight one other core subject.

Only 1 in 100 British homes meets energy efficiency standards. Nothing short of a disgrace.

Liberal Democrats will immediately begin a Warm Homes programme coordinated nationally and delivered locally to make all UK homes energy efficient by 2020. There are three amendments.

Please support amendment one. This calls for investment in UK based green technology. It is no good the local Tory councillors and MP publicly lamenting the loss of Vestas in the Isle of Wight when they opposed onshore wind schemes using the very products which Vestas made.

In amendment three, please support parts G and little e.

Liberal Democrats don't just say yes to carbon capture and storage! Coal policy will be one of the defining energy positions for our planet and in British politics. I want to make our policy explicitly clear. All new coal fired power stations should only be given consent if they use carbon capture and storage fully from the outset. E.ON - do you hear us at Kingsnorth? Full carbon capture and storage. Our planet cannot afford anymore dirty coal.

But please oppose parts F and little c.

Liberal Democrats have been clear in opposing nuclear power. We must maintain this opposition.

1) Nuclear does not massively reduce emissions. Even if Britain built ten reactors, nuclear power would only deliver a 4% cut in carbon emissions.

2) Nuclear is very expensive. No nuclear plant has ever been built on budget. The average reactor costs three times as much as originally planned and it is inevitable that, like the banks, the public sector will have to come in to bail the nuclear industry out.

3) Nuclear is the most centralized, undemocratic form of power. EDF of France and E.ON of Germany have explicitly told government that the renewables target is "damaging to alternative nuclear plans".

John Hutton was until recently the cabinet minister responsible for our energy future. Mr Hutton's reported new lucrative employment with EDF makes Labour's love affair with the nuclear industry even more sordid.

Conference, if we are ambitious and energy efficient as a country, we do not need nuclear power to meet our energy needs.

By contrast, at a local level Liberal Democrats in power will lead on renewables.

Many of the councils we run already understand their renewable potential. We are now responsible in local government for almost 14 million people.

From this week Liberal Democrat council leaders in Bristol, Derby, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Sheffield and others will now meet regularly and lead together.

And please support amendment two.

The 10:10 campaign is about action now not in ten or forty years time.

You, me, us, councils, government.

I call on Liberal Democrats to support this campaign now and praise all those who have already signed up. We cannot start too soon.

Conference, we must not axe our social fabric. But I'll own up. I too am in favour of controversial and, yes, savage cuts. Of emissions. By 10% in 2010.

Liberal Democrats have always been the party of the environment.

We have the pedigree.

We have the policies. 'Zero Carbon Britain'. A comprehensive, radical and coherent energy and environment greenprint for our future.

And we have the power. Liberal Democrats have huge influence in the European Parliament and European governments; we are the largest environmental force in the UK parliament for eighty years; we control 64 councils and with nearly 5,000 councillors will very soon be the second party in local government in the UK.

The next five years - the lifetime of the next parliament - could be the last opportunity for politicians to take effective action to avert climate catastrophe.

From now to the general election our collective challenge is to communicate much better our environmental messages in ways which resonate and people understand.

We have strong, clear and positive things to say.

To the public I say: vote Liberal Democrat and we guarantee:

- Fair fuel bills and warm homes for all

- Safe and secure energy supplies, which means yes to renewables and no to nuclear

- A new generation of jobs to build the green future for Britain

- To give people and communities maximum influence over their lives

- The best quality environment for our children and grandchildren

Conference I say: Reject nuclear power. Support the motion.

Help us put Britain in the lead in the make or break years ahead.