Campaigners in Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage lobbied their MPs for action on energy bills.

They took part in the Warm This Winter mass lobbying effort, organised by Greenpeace and other environmental and anti-poverty organisations, last Saturday, April 1.

The group want their MPs - Grant Shapps in Welwyn and Hatfield, and Stephen McPartland in Stevenage - to push for an Energy Bill that creates a "fair, green and clean" energy system.

More than 80 events took part across the UK as part of the same campaign.

In Welwyn Garden City, local residents and members of Greenpeace were joined by Andrew Lewin (Labour's parliamentary candidate for Welwyn Hatfield) as they stood and held placards.

In Stevenage, campaigners were also joined by Kevin Bonavia, Labour's parliamentary candidate for the town and surrounding villages.

The Comet: Kevin Bonavia, left, joined campaigners in Stevenage.Kevin Bonavia, left, joined campaigners in Stevenage. (Image: Sarah Butcher)


READ MORE: Mass lobbying effort in Herts to demand lower energy bills


Sarah Butcher, a member of WGC Greenpeace, said: "We're really disappointed that Grant Shapps never responded to our request to meet, especially as he is the minister for energy security and net zero.

"We collected many messages to the MP from local people who are struggling with their energy bills.

"It's only right that our MP should take the time to listen to people's concerns and hear that they want solutions such as home insulation.

"We are asking Grant Shapps to pledge to call for the expansion of government-funded home insulation schemes, heat pump installation, more investment in renewable energy, and further support for vulnerable households with their energy bills."

The Comet: Campaigners in WGC were joined by Andrew Lewin (centre).Campaigners in WGC were joined by Andrew Lewin (centre). (Image: Sarah Butcher)

WGC Greenpeace campaigners are calling for £5.3bn in new cash for home insulation, £14bn of emergency support for households struggling with bills, and £3.3bn for cleaner heating solutions. They are also asking the government to treble the amount of renewable energy by 2030, and to stop new oil and gas extraction.

In response to our request for comment, Grant Shapps said:

"I’ll be delighted to meet up with Sarah to discuss the measures being taken to both help the transition to net zero and to help insulate homes.

"No major economy has done more to decarbonise than the UK. Just 10 years ago, nearly 40 per cent of our electricity was created by coal, last year coal was responsible for just 1.5 percent of electricity generation.

"The UK actually exported renewable electricity to France and our vast offshore windfarms – we have the top four largest offshore farms in the world – generated record amounts of power.

"We also know that, as well as generating renewable energy, we need to insulate homes across the country. When this government came to power in 2010 just 14 percent of homes were properly insulated (measured as being Energy Performance Certificate A to C), that figure is now nearly half of households (47% and climbing).

"But there is more to do and I’ve just announced the extension of a one billion pound programme called the Great British Insulation Plan to help more households improve their insulation.

"In addition, we are partway through a £6bn programme to insulate our country’s social housing and have just announced a further £6bn of spend.

"The Energy Security Bill that I am currently taking through parliament gives us the chance to go further and unleash new technologies to both increase our renewables, including nuclear, and ensure that we can never be held to energy ransom again by the likes of Putin.

"My personal goal is to drive down household bills in the short-term and help us achieve amongst the least expensive energy in Europe in the medium term."