UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour faces backlash for removing protections against forced labour in China’s solar supply chain, as officials insist existing policies are sufficient.
As reported by The Guardian, critics accuse ministers of allegedly overlooking slavery issues, as Labour MPs are instructed to eliminate legal barriers that prevent Great British Energy from funding solar panels tied to forced labour in China.
Is Labour removing protections against forced labour in solar supply chains?
Cross-bench peer David Alton’s amendment in the House of Lords added a provision to the government bill, ensuring public money would not be allocated for solar panels or materials from supply chains with “credible evidence of modern slavery.”
Labour MPs are likely to face a party directive to remove the amendment, though minor adjustments may be considered. The government argues that an existing solar task force, led by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, is already addressing the issue.
What did Matthew Pennycook say about forced labour in solar supply chains?
Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, stated that no solar panels used by the government were produced by Uyghur labour in China.
He said,
“I understand the concern that people have out there about the use of particularly Uyghur region … What I’m saying I suppose is we need to see action across the whole of the energy industry and that’s why we’re working across government to tackle the issue of forced labour in supply chains.”
Mr Pennycook added,
“I think I’ve answered very clearly, we’re taking action across the whole of government to tackle the issue of forced labour in supply chains.”
What did Iain Duncan Smith say about Labour’s stance on forced labour?
The removal of legal protections from the bill raised backlash from both Labour and Conservative critics in the House of Commons. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith accused the government of instructing Labour backbenchers to “turn and look away when slave products come.”
He added,
“It’s the first test for the Labour government: which side of this do you stand? You used to stand on the side of anti-slavery, but by turning a blind eye, the government will have put themselves in line with other countries who believe it is OK to turn a blind eye to slavery.”
How did No 10 defend its stance on modern slavery in solar supply chains?
Downing Street insisted on Monday that addressing modern slavery within the system was a priority and claimed it would be more effective than restricting certain companies. A government spokesperson stated that GBE was “expected to be a first-in-class example of that approach.”
They stated,
“We’re focused on tackling human rights abuses and modern slavery in supply chains. We need to take a whole of government and society approach and place victims and survivors at the centre of this work.”
The spokesperson added,
“We want to combat human rights abuses like modern slavery across the whole energy industry. We think that will be more effective than applying measures on a company-by-company basis.”
What did Ed Miliband say about UK solar panel manufacturing?
Ed Miliband, after returning from a visit to China, unveiled a £200m initiative to install solar panels on schools and hospitals.
He said that domestic manufacturing of solar panels is not feasible for a rollout of this required scale.
How Will GB Energy Work?
- Partner with the Crown Estate to create clean energy projects.
- Invest in renewable energy and own key projects.
- Boost local power through the Local Power Plan.
- Support UK energy supply chains for clean energy growth.
- Work with Great British Nuclear to advance nuclear projects.