Ralph Palmer

Today, Labour is launching the Local Power Plan, the biggest public investment in community energy projects in our history.

For years these projects have faced barriers with little support from Whitehall, but today’s announcement means that reality is no longer.

Our Directors' comment 👇

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has announced today a record £1bn invest in community-owned energy. This is the start of an energy ownership revolution which will see communities and community assets benefit from renewables in their areas.

📺 Watch him explain.

It's critical that we raise the voices of councillors in this debate & help raise salience of this issue once again. Air pollution is a major health & social justice issue - bread-&-butter for the labour movement. Time to move the dial on the politics of this issue.

Cllrs are on the front lines of delivery to help us breathe cleaner air, but are doing so with constrained powers, resources & political cover. While some v positive things are happening in govt that will help tackle air pollution nationally, cllrs need to be compelled & empowered to go further.

I was pleased to be at the Labour Local Government Conference yesterday, hosting a panel with 3 inspiring cllrs from Brighton, York & Lambeth who are passionate about delivering cleaner air for their communities, from school streets & quieter neighbourhoods to tackling pollution from wood burning.

Bright-eyed at day two of Labour LGA conference to discuss how we win the politics of air quality.

How do we enpower the voices of those cllrs across the country who are delivering on this issue for their communities.

'For the energy transition to work, it must deliver good union jobs, not just clean power' - LabourList As Labour accelerates offshore wind, it must ensure the transition creates good, unionised jobs in the communities that need them most — or risk losing public support for clean energy.

Was pleased to join the launch of Climate Jobs UK this week, calling, in the words of Gary Smith, for the just transition to be a jobs transition.

The introduction of a Fair Work Charter for the next round of off-shore wind is a strong step on this journey.

labourlist.org/2026/02/unio...

Project aiming to return elk to UK moves forward Work to assess the feasibility of bringing the species back to the UK is under way.

The reintroduction of beavers to London has been a huge success.

The prospect of elk returning to Britain shows what’s possible when we give nature the space and support it needs.

We're deeply saddened by the passing of Councillor Waseem Zaffar. His commitment to clean air + public health - introducing Birmingham's Clean Air Zone to founding the Clean Air Justice Network (later Birmingham HAC) - leaves a lasting legacy that continues to inspire our fight for clean air 💙

The Warm Homes Plan is a genuinely exciting & defining moment for this Govt. It will tackle fuel poverty & living costs, while cutting emissions & boosting energy security. Great to be joined by the Minister for a productive discussion with MPs on how the plan will be delivered nationally & locally.

Electric vehicle sales overtake petrol in EU for first time Sales of fully electric cars surpassed those of petrol vehicles in the European Union for ‌the first time in December, even as policymakers proposed to loosen emissions regulations, data from the auto industry group ACEA showed on Tuesday.

Electric vehicle sales overtake petrol in EU for first time reut.rs/45wzENK

NEW #carspreading danger: @cleancitiescampaign.org analysis reveals a 92% rise in number of US-style pick-up trucks on UK roads. We've now more than half a million pick-up trucks where young children can’t be seen over high bonnet ⚠️ 1/7

Carmakers have been very effective at marketing larger, higher margin vehicles in recent years. The result?

⬆️ Danger to vulnerable road users
⬆️ Road wear
⬆️ Health impacts from air pollution
⬆️ Emissions

⬇️ Space in urban areas for people
⬇️ Resource use efficiency

This trend hurts us all.

Number of US-style ‘battering ram’ pickup trucks on UK roads has nearly doubled in a decade Exclusive: Campaigners say ‘menacing vehicles’ are putting children at risk owing to their large front blind zones

Important analysis by @cleancitiescampaign.org on the rise of US-style pickups in the UK. There isn't a sudden need for these vehicles; this is a lifestyle choice. Large pickups are more dangerous, more polluting & have no place in urban areas.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Agreed, that's an important caveat. The problem is where they're being used in urban/built up areas

A more serious approach to pollution from wood burning has been long overdue. Building greater public awareness & strengthening pollution limits is a good step. It would be good to also see greater support & powers for councils to properly enforce restrictions on wood burning in smoke control areas.

Good to see Labour strengthening regulations around wood burning stoves following the recent move to bring the UK's PM2.5 pollution targets forward a decade. While there is lots more to do, it's encouraging to see a bit of a step change in narrative & policy on clean air in recent months.

To hopefully reassure Alison, certainly in Parliament there are people like me and @chionwurah.bsky.social who are calling for the evidence to be reviewed properly (including understanding gaps) and to not move to a knee jerk response. Young people's evidence must be part of this.

This Government's groundbreaking Warm Homes Plan is a defining moment for this Parliament - showing that tackling the cost of living crisis goes hand-in-hand with climate ambition.

See below for more thoughts from our Directors on why the Warm Homes Plan is a game changer for British bill-payers 👇

‘After a lost decade on home upgrades, Labour is turning up the heat’ – LabourList Throughout our history, when Labour Governments confront housing conditions that hold working people back, we don’t tinker at the edges. The Wheatley Act of 1924…

💬 "Taken together, this is a landmark moment: cutting bills, tackling fuel poverty and renewing a proud Labour tradition of housing reform."

🔅 Energy Minister Martin McCluskey on today's introduction of Labour's Warm Homes Plan 🏠

Read here 👇
labourlist.org/2026/01/afte...

Get that electric feeling: new campaign launched to show savings and benefits of going electric Over 50,000 UK drivers have made savings of up to £3,750 on a new electric vehicle and £1,400 a year on running costs.

A Government-led public information campaign on EVs has been long overdue to help rebut the tidal wave of misinformation we see across the media. It's great to see the Government launch its new campaign today to highlight the cost of living benefits of switching to an EV.

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Good to see this.

The Labour govt is doing the right thing on animal welfare.

A ban on trail hunting can’t come soon enough for the dogs, foxes and other animals involved in this cruel ‘sport.’

'Britain must keep its foot on the EV accelerator' - LabourList Scrapping the ZEV mandate would trash Britain’s EV leadership, cost jobs and hand the future to China. It's just another reckless Tory idea.

Great piece in @labourlist.bsky.social by @perranmoonmp.bsky.social on why it's critical that the UK doesn't repeat the EU's mistake of watering down EV targets & doubles down on leading the transition.

labourlist.org/2025/12/brit...

🚨 BREAKING: It's confirmed that the Labour Government is giving Southampton City Council EIGHT TIMES the funding it got under the Tories.

Our city will get £84.6m more for the services we rely on.

Compare that to the £6.9m given by the Conservatives.

'Britain must keep its foot on the EV accelerator' - LabourList Scrapping the ZEV mandate would trash Britain’s EV leadership, cost jobs and hand the future to China. It's just another reckless Tory idea.

Great piece in @labourlist.bsky.social by @perranmoonmp.bsky.social on why it's critical that the UK doesn't repeat the EU's mistake of watering down EV targets & doubles down on leading the transition.

labourlist.org/2025/12/brit...

A united Britain Britain faces a moment of crisis. Stagnant living standards, the rise of the far-right, environmental breakdown, and war in Europe all threaten our democracy. Yet rather than face these threats as a…

At this time of growing division and anger, we should remember what defines and unites Britain.

Our country is strongest when we're united.

When our different communities come together to build a common nation.

When we draw

renewal.org.uk/blog/a-unite...

Wolf Alice live at the O2 - picture of stage and crowd

Wolf Alice last night at the O2 was absolutely extraordinary. Generational band, one of the best of the last decade.

After the excellent Environmental Improvement Plan launch yesterday, I'm in LabourList bigging up Labour's nature delivery. But that this is being hampered by its nature rhetoric.

Theres now a real opportunity for a reset to leave a lasting legacy for UK nature.

labourlist.org/2025/12/envi...

Only 5/6 have specific weight/size tax (e.g. France & Norway) but it's more that our tax system doesn't tax the gas guzzling SUVs based on CO2 as much as many other European countries (altho gov did x2 tax rates for higher emitters last year). I do agree on the case for a weight tax though!

The Government's new EIP marks a genuine turning point for cleaner air.

By accelerating the UK's PM2.5 target by a full decade, committing to action on wood burning, and backing local authorities, this plan will deliver tangible wins for public health, the economy, and the environment.