Vince Cable has launched an astonishing broadside against the party’s green agenda, saying that it imposes too high a cost on industry. The Business Secretary said industries with high energy costs such as steel, are struggling against their international competitors because of soaring electricity costs. Chancellor George Osborne has given £250million compensation to ‘energy intensive’ industries, but Mr Cable admitted this ‘doesn’t go the whole hog’. It is a surprise admission from a Liberal Democrat, because the party is passionate about renewable energy which is funded by levies on households and businesses. His party colleague, Energy Secretary Ed Davey, clashed with the Conservatives last year when they blocked his attempt to set an even more ambitious green energy target for 2030.
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Business Secretary said levies on energy were undermining British exports
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He said Lib Dems had to recognise green tax meant pollution was 'exported'
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Remarks will be seized on by the Tories who have warned of green tax harm
But Mr Cable told a conference fringe event last night: ‘We do have an issue which should concern us as @placeholder because of our very strong environmental commitments.