Labour plans 'based on fantasies' - energy secretary
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho visited Teesworks in Redcar
- Published
Labour's energy plans are "based on fantasies", according to the energy secretary.
Conservative Claire Coutinho made the comments during a visit to Europe's largest brownfield site Teesworks in Redcar, to see the construction of a plant that will build giant wind turbine monopiles.
Ms Coutinho said the party's plans - which include setting up a publicly-owned clean power company - would "deter" investment and put jobs "at risk".
Labour said the government had not made enough progress on the transition to renewable energy and developing green industries in the North East of England.
She told the BBC: "The problem with Ed Milliband and Keir Starmer is they don't understand that private investment means jobs in places like Teesside, so their energy plans have been widely criticised by industry, by energy experts.
"It will deter billions of pounds or put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk and that means places like this might not get the investment that they need."
SeAH Wind's turbine monopile factory under construction at Teesworks
Labour's plans include setting up a publicly-owned clean power company, a time-limited windfall tax on oil and gas companies, and clean power by 2030.
"The problem is their plans are based on fantasies," she said.
"If you look at what they want to do into the North Sea, they're saying they want to ban oil and gas licences, which puts 200,000 jobs at risk, and also investment which goes into places like Teesside, into the energy transition."
During her visit on Thursday she also praised recently re-elected Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, saying he had been "the most amazing champion for Teesside".
Teesworks is being developed on the site of the former Redcar steelworks
The BBC has approached the Labour candidate for Redcar and candidates from other parties, which will be added once received.
A full list of candidates will be available on the BBC website after the legal deadline for nominations closes on Friday.
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