'Even the Tories don't trust the Tories here!' Hear what Ed Miliband had to say on visit to Telford
A former leader of the Labour Party paid a visit to Telford the day after the town's outgoing Conservative MP announced she would not be backing her former party at the General Election.
Ed Miliband, who sits on Sir Keir Starmer's front bench as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, took a tour of renewable energy company AceOn Group with Telford & Wrekin Council leader and Labour General Election candidate, Shaun Davies.
Based in Stafford Park, AceOn provides battery energy storage systems and products such as solar panels.
Mr Miliband heard how the company was recycling batteries taken from electric vehicles and turning them in into power generators, which it is sending to places such as Ukraine and Africa. The group also works with local authorities to install solar panels and battery storage systems in people's homes.
Mr Miliband said companies such as AceOn would form part of GB Energy – the Labour party's plan to create a national, state-owned renewable energy company.
He said: “I am incredibly excited to be here. I can see the future here at AceOn and if a Labour government are elected, with GB Energy, our new public-owned energy company, we will be using companies like AceOn.
“It is quite simple, they want to put solar panels on people's roofs and put batteries in their homes to cut their fuel bills, and the amount of reduction in people's bills is so large, if you can find some sources of money to invest in this, you can really make a difference.
