Labour has faced extra political pressure over its climate ambitions since coming to power, as Reform UK rose in opinion polls and the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch disowned their previous ambition of reaching net zero by 2050.
Both opposition parties have taken particular aim at public subsidy schemes designed to boost renewable sources of electricity generation, arguing that the drive for cleaner energy has driven up costs for consumers.
UK households currently pay one of the highest rates for electricity in Europe.
Bills have increased due to subsidies but also because of the high price of gas (a fossil fuel) driven up by international conflicts.
Asked during her Panorama interview what her main task was, Fahnbulleh replied: “With the cost of living biting, affordability is my overriding objective, without a doubt.”
In the interview, which was recorded last week, and aired on Monday night, she argued that Labour’s push for greener electricity was “one of our routes to delivering affordability”.
“The drive to clean power is about decoupling our dependence on global fossil fuel markets,” she added. “Ultimately if we have homegrown renewables, nuclear, that’s the way in which we will drive bills in the long term.”
However, she conceded that struggles over energy affordability were part of the reason the consensus on climate action was “under pressure”.
“People want to blame net zero for that. Now, I don’t believe that’s the case.
“But I’m very clear that part of the way in which we build and maintain public consent is that we’ve got to show that this transition, which we have to do on climate grounds, is good for people’s pockets.”
