PM Keir Starmer criticised over Suffolk pylons scheme

In his first Labour party conference speech in Liverpool on Tuesday, Sir Keir addressed the controversial issue of running the power lines along a 184km route between Norwich and Tilbury.

The pylons are part of the Great Grid Upgrade and one of a number of energy projects affecting the East of England, which will bring power onshore from offshore wind farms.

READ MORE: National Grid Bramford to Twinstead pylons given go-ahead

Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for the environment, called on the Government to explore alternatives to pylons (Image: Simon Lee Photography)

He said: "If we want cheaper electricity, we need new pylons overground otherwise the burden on taxpayers is too much."

However, Rosie Pearson, founder of action group Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons, which is opposed to the pylon plans, said the scheme would not lead to cheaper bills for taxpayers and questioned why the government was not considering three alternatives for routing the cables.

These included creating an offshore grid, upgrading the existing grid or sending the cables underground.

READ MORE: How can you have a say on proposals for more Suffolk pylons?

James Cartlidge said Suffolk was being hit hard by Labour (Image: Office of James Cartlidge MP) She said: "He is throwing the East of England and East Anglia under a bus because it is a very Conservative area. 

"It is possible that he is thinking 'stuff them' they are all Conservative voters, let's throw them under a bus."

Rosie Pearson (Image: Contributed)

Suffolk county councillor Richard Rout, cabinet member for the environment, said the Prime Minister's comments would be received with "huge disappointment" in Suffolk and the East of England.

READ MORE: Suffolk County Council could back halt for pylon plans

He said: "The new Labour government’s determination to press ahead with their unachievable commitment to decarbonise energy generation in the UK by 2030, rather than the previous government’s target of 2035, is seeing them talk of nothing but pace and make little mention of the communities that will host this new infrastructure.

The pylons scheme has proved controversial (file image) (Image: Newsquest)

"It is they, under Labour's plans, who will take all of the pain and see none of the benefit."

He called for alternatives for routing the cables to be considered and cited figures from power firm National Grid, which showed that in 2034 putting the cables underground would be cheaper than using pylons.

"Much greater fairness" was needed for communities, he said, including compensation for homeowners whose properties had lost value.

Mr Rout added: "My fear is that Labour's development-at-all-costs approach will not give the fair and just transition to delivering energy security that we in Suffolk want to see.

READ MORE: South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge Norwich to Tilbury response

"They need to pause for breath and acknowledge there are better and ultimately cheaper approaches.

Meanwhile, South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge, whose constituency is on the pylon route, said the county was being "hit hard" by the Labour Government.

He said: "Labour cancelled Suffolk’s devolution deal, cancelling £500m of much needed investment. They’ve imposed undeliverable housing targets on Babergh.

"Meanwhile with energy prices rising again, over 20,000 of my constituents are set to lose the winter fuel allowance this year, leaving us as one of the worst affected constituencies.

Valeriu Negara (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA)

"The government is approving solar farms without listening to any arguments about food security and they seem to take very little interest in farming or protecting the countryside, literally placing no weight on the rural impact of pylons while refusing to even consider evidence that shows other options could be cheaper - without permanent damage to the countryside.

"Over £10billion has been spent building electricity transmission offshore, but less than one billion for an East Anglian offshore grid to progress.

"South Suffolk is getting a really raw deal but I’ll keep standing up for my constituents.”