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Responding to comments on energy costs from the chief executive of the CBI, Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said:

“The CBI is right to once again highlight that high energy costs are holding Britain back. But the real solution isn’t short-term fixes, it’s removing the barriers that prevent us from building cheap, clean, and abundant sources of energy.

“For too long, outdated planning rules, slow grid connections, and endless bureaucracy have made it harder to build wind, solar, and nuclear power - even when businesses have shovel-ready projects. The result is higher bills, lost jobs, and investment going abroad.

“If we want to bring down energy costs and make Britain more competitive, we need urgent reform to accelerate the rollout of homegrown clean power. That’s how we secure lower bills, greater energy independence, and the investment Britain needs to grow.

“The planning bill is an opportunity for the government to deliver major reform so Britain can get building again. But it is critical that ministers do not succumb to pressure from a small minority of Labour MPs and water down the bill.”