Former Tory Energy Minister Quits Party and Backs Labour Leader

Conservative Party leader and incoming Prime Minister Rishi Sunak departs from Conservative Party Headquarters in London, on Oct. 24, 2022. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

A former Conservative minister has attacked her own party, praising Labour for its “sober, fact-driven, competent political leadership” while applauding leader Keir Starmer for his green energy ambitions.

Claire Perry O’Neill, who served as UK minister for energy and clean growth in Theresa May’s Cabinet before leading the UK’s Cop26 team until she left politics in 2020, said that she has not joined Labour, but has left the Conservatives, saying she is “no longer a member of any political party.”

She also described the Conservatives as “a party dominated by ideology and self-obsession.”

O’Neill wrote a piece in The Times Of London on Monday, focused on the energy sector, climate change policy, and the EU and claimed that “incrementalism and ideology” in her former party had “hollowed out our world-class nuclear energy industry which can provide much of our baseload power needs.”

Labour MPs, most wearing face masks, sit behind their leader Kier Starmer during a debate in the House of Commons on Aug. 18. 2021. Parliament TV

‘Energy at the Top’

“As one of the longest-serving UK energy ministers, I want to applaud Keir Starmer and the Labour Party for putting energy at the top of their proposed new government inbox,” she said.

“My former party’s often cavalier approach to business and academia coupled with a post-Brexit reluctance to strategically engage with our European neighbours has damaged our ability to deliver the energy system we need and a full-scale reset of our domestic and international relationships, focused on calm, competent co-operation, is urgently needed,” she added.

An MP for nine years, she stood down at the 2019 general election but had been expected to lead Britain’s preparations for the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow.

O’Neill was tasked with heading the UK’s efforts by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his arrival in No 10, however, she was sacked in February 2020 and replaced by Alok Sharma.

Change of Allegiance

The former politician highlighted Labour’s “industrial support for key green technologies” and a “national low-carbon wealth fund,” calling the ideas “exciting.”

“Building a low-carbon, secure, affordable energy system for the UK is an immense challenge that needs sober, fact-driven, competent political leadership. I sense that is exactly what we will get should Labour win the next general election,” she added.

Perry campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU during the 2016 membership referendum.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson greets French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrives to attend the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 1, 2021. Christopher Furlong /pool/AFP via Getty Images

Polling expert Sir John Curtice told The Epoch Times that he believed that beyond the “limited confines of ardent members of the Conservative and Labour members” O’Neill’s comments won’t have much of an impact in a general election.

Curtice is well-known for his expert research and polling methods in electoral behaviour.

He said despite being somebody who was quite widely respected inside the House of Commons, O’Neill lacked recognition and has not made a wide impression on the public.

Curtis said he doesn’t think her change of allegiance will make much of a difference to voters.

Difficult Task to Turn Things Around

Last month, Curtice said that the Labour Party is “at its strongest position for over a decade.”

In December, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had his first electoral test when Labour retained the City of Chester constituency by-election with a 13.76 percent swing against the Conservatives. Then Labour retained Stretford and Urmston in a by-election, with a 10.5 percent swing.

“Basically, the conclusion is that put these two by-elections together, and they are consistent with the message of the polls, which the Labour Party is in a stronger position actually than they have been at any stage since 2010,” said Curtice.

“But notice the phrase ‘consistent with’ does not ‘prove that,'” he added.

“They face very difficult economic circumstances,” he said.

He added that the plus side the Tories have is that Sunak personally is still competing with Labour leader Keir Starmer on who is the best person for the economy because of the PM’s record as a Chancellor.

“There’s a big gap between people’s perceptions of Sunak and their perceptions of his party. Unless he can persuade people to take notice of his record and not that of his party, then it’s going to be a very difficult task to turn things around,” said Curtice.

The Epoch Times contacted the Conservative Party for comment.

PA media contributed to this report.