Spring Statement 2025: Silence Speaks Volumes on Energy Policy
Now that the dust has settled on the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, the absence of any meaningful discussion on clean energy is even more glaring. In the immediate aftermath, much was said about the broader economic outlook, but as businesses and industry leaders reflect, the silence on energy policy remains deafening.
The Chancellor’s Spring Statement was delivered in just over 40 minutes—40 minutes of an optimistic outlook from Rachel Reeves, but without a single mention of the clean energy revolution, a central pillar of Labour’s policy platform. For a government that has championed net zero and the green economy, this omission was striking.
Throughout the statement, one mantra was repeated: ‘delivered by this Labour government, opposed by the parties opposite’. This refrain was applied to jobs, defence, the NHS, and the economy. Yet, for those anticipating substantive updates on GB Energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), nuclear fusion, energy bills, or even climate change itself, the response was clear: nothing.
In the weeks leading up to the Spring Statement, a flurry of speculation and press releases hinted at potential announcements on energy and net zero. Yet, when the statement was delivered, the only reference to this vital sector was a fleeting mention of planning and infrastructure—followed by silence.
For many green sector experts, this absence was almost a relief, given the Chancellor’s sweeping cuts to other areas of public spending. However, there remains uncertainty about whether green investments will face similar cuts in the near future.
With the UK’s green sectors growing at three times the rate of the broader economy, according to the CBI, neglecting climate and environmental policy represents a missed opportunity for long-term growth.
There was a brief acknowledgment of the need for workforce expansion, with a commitment to training 60,000 workers. But, there was no clarity on how this would translate into green skills development. The planning bill received attention, with the Chancellor criticizing the opposition, yet there was no mention of how it would accelerate the rollout of grid connections, support the EV transition, or facilitate the growth of offshore and onshore wind projects.
From a broader economic perspective, the statement provided headline figures on growth and debt forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The outlook remains bleak, with growth expectations downgraded from 2% to 1% for this year and inflation now projected to rise from 2.6% to 3.2%. While £2 billion per year was earmarked for capital projects, much of this funding appears to be directed towards strengthening national defence rather than addressing the pressing challenges in energy and infrastructure.
Despite Labour’s rhetoric and Ed Miliband’s optimism on social media, it is evident that when it comes to the major policy decisions that will define the future of energy, this government has made a quiet retreat from its original promises. In short, the statement might be considered a missed opportunity for the labour government to double down and spark real, tangible change.
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