Guernsey Press

Trump’s ‘drill baby drill’ policy will not alter UK net-zero ambition – minister

Donald Trump pledged ‘drill, baby, drill’ on the US presidential election campaign trail.

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Donald Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” motto will not alter British net-zero ambitions, the energy minister has confirmed.

Asked about the three-word phrase, which Mr Trump repeated during his successful US presidential election campaign this year, Michael Shanks told the Commons that ministers will outline an action plan for their environmental goals later this year.

Labour pledged cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030 “accelerating to net zero” in its successful election campaign earlier this year.

The Gwynt y Mor offshore wind farm
Conservative former minister Andrew Murrison said: ‘Offshore wind has been a real positive for our energy security and grid independence, but unfortunately not when the wind doesn’t blow’ (Ben Birchall/PA)

He also told MPs: “Offshore wind has been a real positive for our energy security and grid independence, but unfortunately not when the wind doesn’t blow.”

The energy minister replied: “We’ll outline later this year our action plan on how we will deliver on 2030 but there’s no change to our timetable in that regard.

“But what it does show, he raises a good point around when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine, about making sure that we have a mix in our energy system. That’s why we remain supportive of nuclear.

The Minister for Energy Michael Shanks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
Mr Shanks emphasised the importance of a ‘mix’ in our energy system (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Trump vowed several times on the campaign trail to “drill, baby, drill”.

The US president-elect said at July’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee: “I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately, bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy. We will drill, baby, drill.”

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