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Brexiteer MPs campaign against Net Zero EPC targets

Two prominent Brexiteer MPs are spearheading a campaign that claims Net Zero energy efficiency policies are unpopular.

In their launch statement, they reference what they claim to be two unpopular policies central to landlords - the phasing out of gas boilers by 2035, and the mandatory EPC ‘C’ rating by 2025.

MPs Steve Baker and Craig Mackinlay are spokespeople for the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, which includes some 40 MPs.

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A survey suggests that three in five UK adults say they would not be willing to pay higher taxes on their energy bills to help reach Net Zero targets - that's including 49 per cent of Labour and Green Party voters.

The poll suggests that 65 per per of UK adults say the public have not been given enough of a say on the government’s Net Zero policies, and while 30 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds feel their voices have been heard, only 10 per cent of all those over 45 feel they have had sufficient input.

In its statement the campaign cites the Poll Tax as bringing down the Thatcher premiership 30 years ago and says: “With a raft of measures set for introduction, such as the phasing out of gas boilers by 2035, petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and the mandatory EPC ‘C’ rating for landlords by 2025, the current government looks as if it is heading towards a Poll Tax moment of their own. These figures clearly show that the country is not behind either the policies or the direction of travel, and over two-thirds don’t feel they’ve been given a say.”

Mackinlay - the chair of the group - says: “I didn’t become a Conservative to make my constituents colder and poorer.

“It’s clear, looking at these figures, that the British public are not signed up to the government’s plans. They feel they haven’t been consulted or had their say; the majority don’t feel that government grants for air pumps or electric cars are either relevant to them, or more fundamentally needed to nudge them towards unreliable technologies they don’t want, and there is real worry about the ever-increasing costs of energy bills this winter.

“The general public are quite obviously not onside, and we need to be very careful about just whose shoulders are going to be carrying the very considerable costs of Net Zero.”

Meanwhile Baker - who heads the steering group for the same activist body - adds: “I’ve warned that the cost of Net Zero could deliver a political crisis greater than the Poll Tax, and these figures show that the government are heading straight for such an eventuality.

“The British people are clearly deeply unhappy about paying higher taxes to help reach Net Zero targets and feel they haven’t been consulted about the choices the government are making.

“Grants for air pumps and electric cars are all very well, but how many people can actually afford to pay all the additional costs? 20 per cent think they will actually benefit.

“We are heading down a path where blithe promises are made without considering the realities of current technology and the fact that many people in this country will just be left colder and poorer.“

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  • John Ahmed


    Were do I sign??
    Net zero will end up being more costly rubbish. The Government need to wake up and get real!

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    Steve Baker. A man just so full of common sense. Oh that there were more politicians like him

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    People are waking up, now get rid of Boris and nut nuts before it's too late and we end up with a labour government.

    PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Mrs Nut Nuts is pulling Bojo's strings. Dom and his pal had her sussed out !

     
  • Wendy  Barker

    This is such good news. At last someone is fighting for the views of the majority. So fed up with this government's spineless and unquestioning response to minority causes. Let the voice of reason grow!

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    Setting unrealistic targets for the UK when many, if not all of the other countries around the world will be "fiddling the books" to show that they are achieving the impossible in regard to net zero by the target date will - as a direct result of higher taxes/charges etc - drive the larger percentage of people in the UK into even greater debt.
    Even if one ignores rent monies owed, several of my tenants are in debt to amongst others, utility companies and those debts alone will be greatly increased in the light of impending increases in the cost of energy.
    Unfortunately the Government appears to be hooked on the idea that by forcing Landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties to a "C" that this will greatly help to achieve targets etc and the problems will disappear which is naivety at its extreme, because, in the same way that we in the UK cannot "save the world" on our own by making ourselves net zero, the improvement of private rented properties alone will have very little effect on the overall energy usages within the UK.
    Any, and all measures undertaken to create a net zero environment needs to be undertaken by everyone, whether it be - in the first instance - by all the countries of the world or - in the second instance - applicable for all properties whether domestic, commercial or industrial throughout the UK.
    I wonder what EPC rating any and all of the royal palaces are, or parliament, chequers, and all of the other public buildings around the UK.

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    Why mention Brexiteers? This has nothing to do with Brexit apart from two MP's talking with common sense.

  • George Dawes

    Net zero while china pumps out 28% of the world's c02 and shows no sign of stopping , India no 2

    We're being played here , another scam along with you know what

    Theodor Cable

    Make the Chines and Indians pay.....
    But again a weak Govt. will never be brave enough to fight these people.

     
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    The EPC of C for Landlords will cause a mass sell off of properties below C, in one respect this is a good thing as first time buyers will have more to choose from, but for tenants it is very bad indeed, many will be evicted and those properties that remain will cost a lot more to rent. The govt have no clue as to the unintended consequences of this, this will be the Poll Tax/Iraq War of its day, millions marched and protested about those two gems and guess what.... they went ahead anyway, no one is protesting about the forthcoming EPC upgrade !!!

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    Trouble is Simon, how many will really be bought by first time buyers? Mine are all detached houses, so will be either families or other landlords who purchase mine. One sold already, 2 will be sold over the next couple of years. The agents reckon it'll be families so they'll be taken out the rental system. And yes, rents are still rising. There is a silver lining for me in as much as I need one less house to achieve my target income as an oldie, so I'll use the extra cash to buy a couple of extra toys, and upgrade that hotel when we actually get a chance to get away!

     
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    So much nonsense going on scams, fees & penalties. I have scrapped 3 washing machines this morning none more than 2 years old in virtual show room condition. In the past I always fixed when possible, no point now having spent 3 hours re-doing a license application (3rd time renewal) and paying £400.00 being 30% of the fee & another £800. + to pay later for each one. Really am I going to get the tools out and go fixing a wm’s I haven’t the heart to try and save money after throwing £400.00 down the drain for nothing more than the price of a good WM. This is not going to work it’s sacrilege why should anyone bother, the writing is on the wall.

  • George Dawes

    Steve Baker should be pm , he never will be though ,because he’s the total opposite of the current lineup on the front bench ….of both sides …

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    Grumpy Doug - I take your point about the type of property, but around where i live there are people in a line waiting for detached houses to come up, then putting in above asking price offers, those that are doing this have not come from rented properties but sold their 3 bed semi's and are moving up the ladder, most people who have rented long term cannot afford to start with a detached house. There is such a short supply of properties for sale and rent that anything coming up can be sold/rented 10 times over......... it is tragic. The govt of today, and those of the past, have sold this generation and future generations down the river, having a stable home is essential for a happy and healthy life, my children are lucky, my wife and I can afford to help them get their first property, a great many cannot, it should not be like this, the 'right to buy' disaster has done nothing to help, and has been one big lie from day one, an explosion in the population and an increase in the spivs and snake oil salemen in the property '' game '' has ensured that future house hunters are viewed as nothing more than cattle to be culled. I feel totally ashamed that we are where we are today.

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    Up to a point I agree with you Simon, however the young of today have the '' I'm entitled'' attitude, if you want things in life it's up to the individual to make these things happen, I and many others on here made these things happen with no help from the '' bank of mum and dad'', in the 3 homes that myself, my wife, and my children have lived none have been turn key move into homes, working hard, nights, weekends and bank holidays, living in caravans in the back garden on a building site, and I'm not a builder, but I'll have a go and do the donkey work, how many of the entitled young will even consider doing that now ?

     
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    Yes I agree first time buyers won’t be buying Detached for sure, They will be buying new Flats probably High Rise unsuitable Flats being rail-roaded & colluded into with
    Schemes, loans and no Stamp Duty to make fortunes for Big Developers. They could often do better to buy a Terraced or Semi with a garden, parking, own Front Door and no Service charge. Which is often with-in what they could afford seeing the price of those Flats and Service charges. The crux of the matter is the Schemes designed to favour big developers at tax payers expense, it should be
    available to the first to buyer regardless and his choice what type to buy not getting pushed into bad choice. Also I see perfectly good existing Flats for £50k to £100k less but I think not covered by the Schemes and usually not as densely packed in.

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    I still don’t believe there is a shortage of housing just the Bank of England abolished Savers causing all sorts of problems for Housing. Leaving everyone with no where to put their money, so they all go for property they didn’t necessarily need or want all bidding against each other driving prices through the roof. This is not healthy it a false economy, no new money being created just same money going around in circles with ever decreasing value. This is all froth & bubbles on dubious foundation, ok what’s the alternative leave your money at the Bank and get 0,01% like they pay me while inflation probably 5.1% so after a year you lost 5% of your money at Bank, hence false mad property prices. Base rates used to be around 5% & you
    borrow for about 3 to 4% on top, leaving scope for Savers to get a healthy return, encouraging the young to save instead of living off credit.

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