Just weeks after the July election, I told a left-wing friend that Ed Miliband wouldn’t last six months as Energy Secretary. My friend was furious, insisting that Miliband was brilliant and uniquely qualified to lead the energy sector. At the time, the Labour government was still in its honeymoon phase, and optimism was high. While my friend was right about one thing—Miliband has lasted more than six months—it’s now clear that his time in office must come to an end. Fast.
Miliband is simply not cut out to lead a serious government department. Despite his earnest efforts to save the planet, he often seems disconnected from reality. Prime Minister Keir Starmer can no longer afford to tolerate Miliband’s impractical policies, especially in the wake of the recent clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The world is facing serious challenges, and Miliband has no place in it.
One of Miliband’s first major actions as Energy Secretary was to shut down North Sea oil and gas fields. This move was nothing short of reckless. By closing domestic productive capacity, Miliband has made the UK even more dependent on foreign fossil fuel imports. At the same time, he has deprived the Treasury of billions in revenue that could have funded a sensible transition to green energy.
But Miliband didn’t stop there. At a time when energy security is more critical than ever, he has chosen to leave vast reserves of shale gas untapped. This decision forces the UK to rely on expensive imports, leaving households vulnerable to global price fluctuations. Instead of focusing on practical solutions, Miliband has poured taxpayer money into questionable projects and unproven technologies.
For example, his plan to invest £22 billion in carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects is a high-risk gamble. CCS has never been successfully implemented on a large scale anywhere in the world. It’s a gamble the UK cannot afford, especially with the economy in freefall and Starmer scrambling to find funds to rebuild the armed forces.
Miliband has also championed the creation of **Great British Energy**, a state-run energy quango with an eye-watering £8.3 billion price tag. The problem? No one really knows what it will do. Critics fear it will duplicate efforts better handled by the private sector, wasting resources and stifling innovation.
To make matters worse, Miliband has made unfounded claims to justify his policies. He has repeatedly asserted that his plans will reduce household electricity bills by £300 by 2030. In reality, they are more likely to increase bills by £300—or more—while leaving the UK vulnerable to blackouts.
Miliband’s influence extends beyond energy policy. His opposition to the expansion of Gatwick and Heathrow runways threatens to stifle crucial infrastructure development. This stance has also put him at odds with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, another minister who has overstayed her welcome. Reeves, desperate for economic growth, has ironically wiped out all hope of it with her policies. However, Starmer is unlikely to dismiss both Miliband and Reeves simultaneously, as doing so would raise serious questions about his judgment.
Starmer’s recent policy shifts, including slashing overseas aid to boost defence spending, signal a much-needed return to pragmatism. Unfortunately, pragmatism and Miliband do not belong in the same sentence. His fanatical commitment to net zero, regardless of the economic and political realities, will only bring misery, hardship, and insecurity. It will also alienate voters, further damaging Labour’s already fragile reputation.
Starmer has shown he can be ruthless when necessary. He quickly sidelined the deluded Corbynites, and now he must do the same with Miliband. As Trump aligns himself with Vladimir Putin, Starmer must face the harsh realities of global politics. Realistically, Miliband should be outside the cabinet, perhaps protesting at art galleries, rather than inside, making decisions that jeopardize the nation’s energy security and economic stability.
For the sake of the UK’s energy security, economic stability, and very survival, Miliband must go—and he must go now. We cannot afford to wait until spring. The stakes are too high, and the consequences of inaction are too severe.
