Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, Andy Burnham's pick for the top energy job in government, has been accused of "taking the public for fools" by Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho, after she declined to accept that Labour's net zero policies push up energy bills.
Coutinho said: "Andy Burnham's new Energy Secretary is taking the public for fools. Labour promised to cut bills by £300 but they've gone up by £300 instead – and green levies are going to soar thanks to their policies. Our Cheap Power Plan would cut the cost of living by £200 by taking taxes and levies off bills – funded by scrapping net zero schemes."
Net zero costs row
Green levies, which fund environmental and social programmes, made up about 8% of energy bills in November 2025 – an average of £155 a year. The money goes towards supporting renewable energy generation, improving home energy efficiency and helping vulnerable households.
Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether she accepts that, because of Labour's net zero policies, some people have to pay more on their bills due to green levies, Ms Fahnbulleh said: "Well, look, I don't accept that. And this is a really important point to make. The challenge that we have as a Government coming in is that investment in our infrastructure – irrespective, by the way, of whether we are on the pathway to net zero or not – was not put in for a decade and a half."
She added: "I think there is a lot of misinformation in this debate. One of the things that I want to do is just take the heat out so that we can have a sensible conversation. Yes, there are costs. Those costs are a function of the fact that we have not invested in our basic kit for far too long … we are feeling the impacts of heat, and extreme heat. We have got to act."
Oil and gas decisions
Ms Fahnbulleh must decide whether to approve the Jackdaw gas field and the Rosebank oil field.
The Prime Minister has said he will take a "pragmatic" approach to oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, saying the Government could not ignore the potential energy resources it holds. Donald Trump has put increased pressure on the UK to follow his lead and "drill baby drill".
