Ed Miliband to double down on net zero with measures to combat Iran energy shock
Ed Miliband will double down on Labour’s commitment to net zero in the face of the Middle East conflict this week, insisting that as fossil fuel prices soar “the era of clean energy security must come of age”.The energy secretary is set to announce a package of new policies in a speech on Tuesday in response to an expected energy crisis prompted by Donald Trump’s war with Iran.These will include speeding up the warm homes plan to encourage the rapid take-up of solar panels and electric vehicles; expanding the use of solar on public land; and delinking gas and electricity prices, to cut consumers’ bills.“As we face the second global energy shock in less than five years, the lesson for our country is clear; the era of fossil fuel security is over, and the era of clean energy security must come of age,” he is expected to say.Oil prices plunged on Friday amid claims that the key maritime choke point of the strait of Hormuz was reopening – but those hopes were dashed over the weekend, with Iran insisting it would remain under “strict control”.
The oil price was poised to rise about 4% on Monday, reversing some of the tumble in the previous session,Ever since the onset of the Iran war resulted in oil prices soaring above $100 a barrel in March, Miliband has come under pressure, including from the Conservatives and Reform, to ramp up oil and gas drilling in the North Sea,In response, he is expected to use Tuesday’s speech to hit back at those who are “retreating to the comfort of false solutions”,But he will dodge for now the controversial question of whether to allow drilling in the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields, for which the licensing process had already been set in motion by the Conservatives,“The North Sea is an important resource for our country which we will continue to use for decades to come,” he is expected to say.
“I do not agree with those who say we should ‘turn off the taps’ overnight.But nor do I agree with those who suggest that somehow ‘drilling every last drop’ will take a penny off bills or give us energy security.You can’t solve a fossil fuel crisis by doubling down on fossil fuels.”Government sources insist the process of deciding whether these fields can be exploited is “ongoing”.Ministers are also exploring the use of “tie-back” arrangements, under which more extraction could be allowed next to existing fields.
Rachel Reeves said in Washington last week: “We are looking at what we can do to exploit more of our resources in the North Sea through tie-backs,” describing this as “the quickest way to bring on stream more oil and gas”.However, Miliband will stress that the broader thrust of government energy policy remains to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels.Speaking at a conference organised by the thinktank the Good Growth Foundation, Miliband will argue that it would be “completely irresponsible” to carry on with business as usual in the face of the energy shock – particularly since there is now “a compelling alternative in the form of clean energy.An alternative that cannot be disrupted by foreign wars because it comes from our own wind, sun and nuclear resources.That isn’t subject to global price shocks because it is locked in at stable prices here at home.
”He will point to the fact that UK consumers’ demand for clean energy technologies has already increased rapidly since the onset of the conflict in the Middle East,“Octopus report a 50% rise in solar panel sales and a 50% rise in heat pump sales since the war began,And March was the best month ever for EV sales in the UK,” he will say, adding: “Contrary to an extraordinary amount of misinformation, before this crisis it was already cheaper to run an EV than a petrol or diesel car, and, with the right tariff, cheaper to run a heat pump than a gas boiler,”It is unclear how the government intends to go about “delinking” electricity prices from the cost of gas generation, but options are expected to include striking new better-value contracts for legacy green energy projects,At the moment, the wholesale price of electricity is set by the most costly generation at a given time, which is often gas-fired power stations – a system also in place across many other European countries.
In the short-term, the chancellor is understood to be considering raising the electricity generator levy – in effect a windfall tax on low-carbon energy producers – and using the proceeds to cushion the blow for consumers.Domestic energy bills are fixed until July by the price cap imposed by the regulator for Great Britain, Ofgem, but are then expected to rise by about 12%, to £1,836 a year for a typical household – although ministers have stressed that energy usage tends to be lower over the summer months.The Treasury has already stepped in with financial support for consumers dependent on heating oil; and announced that it will backdate to this month a scheme aimed at reducing bills for the UK’s most energy-intensive manufacturers.
Raducanu withdraws from Madrid Open as illness absence nears two months
Emma Raducanu will extend her absence from the WTA Tour because of a viral illness to two months after she withdrew from the coming week’s Madrid Open.Raducanu has not competed since a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Amanda Anisimova in the second round of the Indian Wells Open on 8 March. She briefly trained on-site at the Miami Open just over a week later before citing lingering symptoms from an earlier viral illness as the reason for her withdrawal. Raducanu had been affected by a viral illness during the Middle East swing in February, which she said had contributed to her poor performances on the court.In the aftermath of her withdrawal from the Miami Open, Raducanu took a considerable amount of time off from training
Humanoid robots show rapid advances as they race past humans in Beijing half marathon
They can already carry the shopping, cook and clean. Now they can run and win half marathons.In perhaps the most unusual spectacle ever seen at the end of the 13.1-mile (21.1km) race, robots flew over the finish line ahead of the humans for the first time in Beijing on Sunday
‘Last year is over’: Oklahoma City launch title defense as NBA’s parity era faces test
The league hasn’t had a repeat champion since the 2017-18 Warriors. The level-headed, consistent Thunder may be the ones to change thatThe NBA has not seen a reigning champion take its title defense as far as the conference finals, let alone hoist a second consecutive Larry O’Brien trophy, since the Golden State Warriors were cut off at the ankle and calf by the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Finals. That’s seven straight seasons in which parity has ruled supreme, for better or for worse, and dynastic runs seem fated to be a thing of the past.Not if one team in America’s heartland has anything to say about it. The Oklahoma City Thunder embark on these 2026 playoffs in search of historic greatness, trends be damned
The Crucible holds tribute to former player and commentator John Virgo
A minute’s applause was paid in tribute to John Virgo, who died in February aged 79, as the World Snooker Championship got under way at the Crucible in Sheffield.Virgo, who won the UK Championship in 1979, enjoyed a successful playing career but was best known for his broadcasting. During his 18 years as a professional, he reached the World Championship semi-finals in 1979. He went on to work for the BBC in 1994 and his voice became a distinctive feature of the national broadcaster’s snooker coverage for three decades.This article includes content hosted on embed
‘That’s a guppy’: Baumgardner swats aside Britain’s Dubois as feud escalates
A dismissive Alycia Baumgardner said Britain’s Caroline Dubois still has more to prove before the American will entertain a fight between the two unified champions.That was the curt assessment from Baumgardner early Saturday morning after she retained her WBA, WBO and IBF junior lightweight world titles with a controlled, at times punishing display across 10 three-minute rounds against Bo Mi Re Shin in a main event that started well past midnight at Madison Square Garden.“Like I said, I’m a piranha,” said Baumgardner, a world champion at 130lb since 2021. “That’s a guppy. Get her out of here
AFC Bournemouth’s owner Bill Foley behind US takeover of Exeter Chiefs
Bill Foley, owner of AFC Bournemouth, is poised to take control of Exeter Chiefs in a multimillion-pound deal that will bring Premier League and Hollywood glamour to English club rugby.The Guardian revealed this week that Exeter’s chair, Tony Rowe, had agreed to sell the club to a wealthy American investor, and can now disclose the club’s new owner will be Foley’s multisport investment company, Black Knight Sports and Entertainment.The Black Knight Football Club that owns Bournemouth includes the Hollywood actor Michael B Jordan, who won this year’s best actor Oscar for his role in Sinners, as a minority shareholder.Foley’s investment vehicle, Cannae Holdings, provides most of the multi-club group’s funding, however, and is understood to be behind the bid for Exeter. Cannae’s chief executive, Ryan Caswell, was captured by TNT Sport’s cameras sitting next to Rowe at Sandy Park during Saturday’s 35-28 home defeat by Northampton
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