Ahead of the upcoming general election, the Advertiser asked readers to share questions they would like answering by candidates vying to become their next MP.
Among the topics were solar farms, and the wider issue of climate change.
Candidates were asked: “There are a lot of solar farm applications for agricultural land across this area and beyond. What should be done about these - and tackling climate change in general?”
Here are their responses, in alphabetical order:
David Paul Dobbie — Liberal Democrats
Climate change is an urgent issue. This constituency includes part of the Nottingham Green Belt as well as the famous Sherwood Forest, so it is important that we make the right decisions about our green fields with more local plans to help protect our Green Spaces.
Helen Rose O'Hare — Reform UK
If we are using our agricultural land for solar farms how are we going to grow our food? We can not and should not rely on imported food.
Net zero is crippling our economy, we want to scrap the annual £10 billion of renewable energy subsidies. Renewables are not cheaper. Our bills have increased dramatically in line with the huge increase in renewables capacity over the last 15 years.
We can protect our environment with more tree planting, more recycling and less single use plastics. New technology will help, but we must not impoverish ourselves in pursuit of unaffordable, unachievable global CO2 targets.
Mark Steven Spencer — Conservative
As promised in our manifesto is to stop the use of our best agriculture land for solar farms. Solar panels should be on the roofs of homes and business units wherever possible, we are clear on that.
As the Farming Minister and a farmer by trade; I absolutely agree we need to protect our farmland and green areas. This is why I am so fearful of Labour’s plans to relax planning laws and put our green areas at risk.
I am clear that we need to get to net zero responsibly and not drive up peoples bills. I do not want to see tens of millions of pounds in stealth taxes introduced by a future Labour Government to deliver this, just to make an earlier target.
Jeremy Paul Spry — Independent
All solar farms and wind farms must be taken into state ownership.
Capitalism is a level playing field, not a free for all, or survival of the fittest. We the tax payers have subsidised all of these developments.
We were told that the privatisation of all of the power companies would bring us low cost energy and a more efficient service. The only winners have been the landowners, and the private individuals and organisations who own the power companies and control the energy prices.
Agricultural land should never be used for wind and solar farming. We could be a self-sufficient Nation if the land was managed and regulated properly and was used for the benefit of the whole population.
Lee Waters — Independent
I am a supporter of renewable energy but this must not be at the cost of losing our farmland. That’s why I am a huge supporter of off-shore energy, something that we have only touched on. The next Labour Government plan to build hundreds of thousands of extra houses which also puts the farms and green fields we all hold so dear under threat.
The more Independent MPs we have, the more chance we have of having a local champion with sensible, community-based solutions to the problems we face.
Michelle Welsh — Labour
The climate and nature crisis are the greatest long-term global challenge that we face. The clean energy transition represents a huge opportunity to generate growth, tackle the cost-of-living crisis and make Britain energy independent once again. With a serious industrial strategy and a genuine partnership between the public and private sectors, we can make Britain a clean energy superpower.
It is important we reach a balance between a future with green sustainable energy and a green attitude towards food security. Our farmers have faced some very difficult times, and it is important that we work together to find the right balance and that they are supported to be able to produce the food our country needs. I believe in supporting locally produced food and would champion the use of it in our schools, hospitals and public services.
Labour will create GB Green Energy owned by the people of this country.
No response was received from Green Party candidate Sheila Greatrex-White.
