Keir Starmer is negotiating to rejoin the EU internal electricity market, which would nearly double Britain’s net zero targets and hand energy policy to Brussels.
Starmer pushing to rejoin EU energy market (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer is negotiating a deal to rejoin the EU internal electricity market that would see Britain’s net zero targets doubled and hand control of energy policy to Brussels. The Prime Minister is pushing to rejoin the market alongside Energy Secretary Ed Miliband – but Brussels will only allow Britain back in if the UK signs up to the EU’s renewable energy targets. This would require Britain to nearly double its net zero ambitions, forcing rapid decarbonisation of electricity, heating and transportation, the Telegraph reports.
The proposals have sparked fury, with Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho accusing Sir Keir of “surrendering control of our energy system to bureaucrats in Brussels”. She warned: “UK ministers will be forced to reduce emissions regardless of what it will do to people’s energy bills or the competitiveness of our businesses.”
Brussels’ demands came to light after a document was published on the Cabinet Office website. The scheme would make UK energy policy subordinate to EU jurisdiction.
The document states: “The Electricity Agreement should set an indicative global target for the share of renewable energy in the gross final consumption of energy in the United Kingdom. To ensure a level playing field, the global target should be comparable to that of the European Union.”
Brussels plans to source 42.5 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2030, with an aspiration to hit 45 per cent.
That’s nearly twice the UK’s planned target of 22 per cent.
The market treats all 27 EU countries and Norway as a single borderless electricity grid.
Mr Miliband has set a target for the country’s power generation to be 95 per cent decarbonised by 2030. However, electricity accounts for just a fifth of total domestic energy consumption.
Energy experts told the Telegraph the EU target could only be met through a massive acceleration in replacing gas boilers with expensive heat pumps, adding biofuels to petrol and diesel, and forcing more drivers into electric vehicles.
Ms Coutinho said: “Billpayers should be very worried about what the Labour Government is signing up to. The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive is like all the worst parts of the UK Climate Change Act – on steroids.”
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said agreed text exchanged between the EU and UK would form the basis for further talks in 2026.
They said: “Closer cooperation on electricity will bring real benefits to British businesses and consumers – helping to drive down energy costs, strengthen energy security and drive investment in the North Sea. We will not give a running commentary on ongoing talks.”
