‘Rush’ for renewables puts food security at risk – MP

Norfolk MP George Freeman has accused the government of putting food security at risk by prioritising Net Zero over farming.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Freeman (pictured right) said swathes of farmland risked being lost under subsidised solar panels generating expensive electricity as the government “rushed” to reach net zero at the expense of food production.

“What we are not happy about is this government’s rush to force our consumers to pay higher bills and see a very, very important agricultural area of Norfolk turned at vast subsidy into farmers farming solar panels,” he said.

Accusing the government of abandoning “agricultural leadership in Net Zero,” Mr Freeman said the offer of paying consumers £250 compensation for higher bills and the defoliation of a large part of Norfolk had no consideration for local people.

The issue of solar panels on farmland is increasingly contentious – and the Tenant Farmers Association has urged the government to explain how tenants can be protected from largescale solar developments.

TFA chief executive George Dunn spoke out after the government gave the go-ahead for a major solar development in North Yorkshire – despite the application being rejected by the local planning committee.

“This decision is also crushing for the wider tenanted sector,” said Mr Dunn. “We need the government to explain urgently how it will protect other tenant farmers from having to face this trauma.”

Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said spiralling energy prices for consumers over the past few years had shown why the UK needed to break its reliance on fossil fuels.

“It is not a reality that we think is tenable – so we will sprint to clean power, because that is the route by which we achieve energy security for the country, and financial security for families.

“We are on the right side of history, and on the side of consumers.”