A plan to get military veterans to work in clean energy jobs will be unveiled on Sunday as the country scrambles to get the skills in place for the green revolution. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told the Sunday Express he wants veterans “first on the list” for new job opportunities, ranging from “building new nuclear in Somerset and Suffolk to carbon capture in the Humber”.
He paid tribute to his father, the Left-wing academic Ralph Miliband, who came to Britain after the Nazi invasion of Belgium and served in the Royal Navy. The former Labour leader said: “When my dad returned from his service, he had the chance to build a good life and a family here at home. I want the same for all who have served.”
Mr Miliband said the clean energy sector offered “good, unionised jobs in proud professions that pay higher than average and don’t demand people move out of their hometowns or get a degree”.
He added: “Indeed, one in six veterans already have many of the skills needed to go straight into the kind of clean energy jobs that we are creating. And with thousands of military personnel leaving active service each year, it is only right that we support those who have served our nation into equally fulfilling and important roles…
“From installing solar panels to making wind turbines and building nuclear power, we can give veterans the support, job security and decent wages that they deserve. By 2030, there could be more than 800,000 of these clean energy jobs across the country – doubling the current workforce.”
His skills plan involves “opening five new technical excellence colleges alongside skills bootcamps to support veterans and many more to get the skills and support they need”.
He said: “Our mission for Britain is simple: take back control of our energy from dictators like Putin to protect the British people and bring down bills for good.”
However, Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, said: “This Government’s obsession with achieving net zero is doing untold damage to the UK economy and jobs. Thanks to this disastrous policy, we have some of the highest industrial energy bills in the developed world, de-industrialising Britain at a rapid scale and leading to the destruction of critical industries like steel.”
Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Ed Miliband is a walking, talking cost-of-living crisis about to happen. He promised to cut everyone’s bills by £300, but he is about to lock the country into high bills for decades.
“The prices he is set to pay in his botched wind auction are much higher than the current cost of electricity and we’ll be locked in for 20 years. It won’t just be us paying these prices, but our children too. He must halt this madness and put cheap energy first.
“Our cheap power plan would cut everyone’s electricity bills by 20% instantly. If Labour truly cared about cutting bills, they could do it tomorrow.”
