Sir Patrick Vallance calls for net zero to have immediacy of search for Covid vaccine

Sir Patrick Vallance has thrown his support behind Labour’s green energy proposals, warning that the race to net zero should be treated with the same immediacy as the search for a Covid vaccine.

Sir Patrick, who became a household name during the pandemic as Britain’s chief scientific adviser, backed Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to decarbonise Britain’s electricity supplies by 2030.

“I am often asked which of Britain’s many pressing public policy challenges need a vaccine-style approach,” he said.

“I believe that one such priority is the urgent need to end the era of excessive carbon emissions, high energy bills and energy insecurity by accelerating the net zero transition to clean, homegrown energy.”

He also appeared to criticise Conservative plans to delay the implementation of some net zero policies. He warned: “If we choose to go slowly others will provide the answers and we will ultimately end up buying the solutions.”

It comes as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer headed to Scotland on Friday where he will pledge to “get working within months to build clean power across the United Kingdom” if his party wins the general election.

The proposals have been described as “dangerous” by the Conservatives, with Claire Coutinho, the Energy Secretary, calling Labour’s plans unfunded.

Meanwhile, the SNP said Labour’s plans to stop new oil and gas licences in the North Sea will cost tens of thousands of jobs, with Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, calling the scheme a “con trick” which would “deter billions of pounds of investment”.

Last year 33 per cent of the UK’s total electricity was generated from fossil fuels, and under present plans this will be replaced entirely, or offset, by renewable energy by 2035.

Labour has pledged to bring that target forward by five years arguing that doing so will reduce bills, create new jobs and boost economic growth.

Sir Patrick said that he did not underestimate the technological and logistical challenges behind the pledge, but insisted that it could be done and would be in the national interest.

Sir Patrick could take on a role advising a Labour government. He stood down as chief scientific officer in 2023. He has been working with the Royal Academy of Engineering on a study on how to accelerate the decarbonisation of the power system.