Labour Party ministers have hobnobbed with members of the industry lobby group the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) on at least sixteen separate events or occasions over the past year.
Now, after a year of lobbying prospective next Labour government ministers, its efforts appear to have paid off. In the midst of chancellor Rachel Reeves’ lament over the new Labour government’s £22bn so-called “black hole” in public finances, it has found almost exactly a tidy £22bn to funnel into carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
However, this is barely the tip of the iceberg of Labour’s intimate connections to the industry – as board members and key staff in the CCSA show.
Labour’s £22bn Carbon Capture and Storage announcement
On Friday 4 October, prime minister Keir Starmer, Reeves, and energy secretary Ed Miliband have announced a staggering £21.7bn investment into the controversial technology.
In particular, they declared this investment for two Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) ‘clusters’. These are various major industrial areas in the UK vying to develop CCS to decarbonise polluting, and hard to abate sites. There are twelve such clusters spanning across the country.
Their announcement is for the East Coast Cluster at Teeside, and HyNet North West in Merseyside.
The CCSA has been the key trade body pushing for more public investment for the twelve clusters. And notably, among its members are many companies set to cash-in from the government’s recent announcement.
For instance, many of the CCSA’s board members are senior executives for corporations either developing or partnering with these projects. Represented on the board and involved in developing the CCS clusters are major fossil fuel companies including:
- BP
- TotalEnergies
- Equinor
- Eni
In addition to this, CCS developers Progressive Energy, and VPI Power also have key personnel on the CCSA board. There are also a number of CCSA board members who are partnering on the projects. These include oil and gas firms Essar, and Phillips 66, energy company SSE thermal, the UK’s biggest carbon polluter bioenergy corporation Drax, and waste company Viridor.
So, if after opining the black hole in public finances, the new government’s funding seems to have come out of the blue, this isn’t in fact the case. This is because over the past year, the CCSA ramped up its charm offensive with a range of key Labour ministers. Evidently, it is now paying off.
CCSA rubbing shoulders with Labour ministers
Crucially, the Canary has identified that Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) staff have met with, or attended events in which Labour ministers have been present. In total, it found 16 events or meetings since October 2023.
Kicking it all off was Labour’s conference in October that year. All in all, the CCSA co-hosted six events at this, and participated in a further roundtable event.
Between these events, CCSA representatives rubbed shoulders with multiple key shadow ministers, MPs, and parliamentary candidates.
One was a CCSA and Green Alliance roundtable with then shadow energy secretary Alan Whitehead. Both the East Coast, and HyNet clusters had representatives at this.
At another, Whitehead was again the keynote speaker in a roundtable held by FTI Consulting. A CCSA representative was present at this too. FTI has been central to fossil fuel companies’ efforts to delay action on the climate crisis, and promoting the polluting industry.
In addition to these, there were other events that the CCSA hosted at Labour’s 2023 conference that it didn’t advertise MP presence for. This was in at least two of events – but Labour members would have attended the event.
On top of all this, at both its 2023, and 2024 conference, the CCSA paid thousands of pounds for a stand. There, huge numbers of key ministers and other MPs visited throughout the course of the conference.
The Canary counted 16 MPs, including key shadow cabinet ministers, visited its stand at the 2023 conference. Similarly, at least 16 MPs, visited the stand in 2024. This included cabinet ministers Reeves, Miliband, and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, as well as exchequer secretary James Murray.
Labour insiders at the CCSA
Of course, who has been lobbying Labour on behalf of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) and its members is also significant.
Of note is one Joe Butler-Trewin. He began in his role as senior public affairs and communications officer for the trade lobby group in July 2022. Crucially, Butler-Trewin was previously a regional organiser for Keir Starmer during his leadership campaign. He was also an executive officer to Alex Sobel MP prior to this.
Butler-Trewin has attended both the 2023 and 2024 Labour Party conferences to represent the CCSA. After the 2023 conference, he penned a blog, in which he wrote:
Alan Whitehead has been an obvious champion for the sector but as he comes toward the end of his parliamentary career, we will be looking to the shadow Energy and Business team to take up the mantle as Labour’s industrial decarbonisation champions. We had positive engagement with Ed Miliband, Johnny Reynolds and Sarah Young and will be looking to them to drive development of CCUS from within the Labour ranks.
Essentially, its an admission of the CCSA’s aim to target particular likely next government cabinet members.
Then, in 2024, he can be seen pictured in a CCSA post talking with business secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
However, this likely hasn’t been his only connection or engagement with Labour ministers. In fact, since May 2023, Butler-Trewin has acted as public contact and secretary for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on CCUS. The CCSA co-runs this APPG.
Obviously, this has cross-party members, including MPs from both the Conservative Party, and SNP. Nonetheless, Labour MP Alex Cunningham chaired the group until it wrapped up for the election in May 2024. Labour MP Bill Esterton also sat on the APPG, and in the most recent register, so too did Labour House of Lords peer Helen Liddell.
Liddell herself, a former Labour minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is CCSA president.
And Butler-Trewin’s timing in taking over the secretariat role for it may also be telling. His predecessor Judith Shapiro moved into a new role at the CCSA in April, so he obviously took up the mantle from her. Notably however, Butler-Trewin was recorded in the role in the 17 May register. This would have been right after Labour overtook the Conservatives as the largest party in local authorities, during local government elections.
Obviously, the CCSA may have viewed the party’s success in local elections as a sign of what was to come in the following year’s General Election. Given this, it marked the opportune time to ramp up its lobbying efforts with the party.
Miliband’s CCS throwback
Alongside Butler-Trewin and Liddell, there’s the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) CEO Ruth Herbert.
In November 2023, Herbert met with Starmer, Miliband, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and Murray. This was at the St Fergus Gas terminal in Aberdeenshire. There, oil and gas company Shell, and Harbour Energy representatives gave them a tour. The CCS project at St Fergus Gas terminal is part of the Acorn cluster – which the government didn’t commit new funding to in this latest announcement.
Nonetheless, Herbert’s role at the CCSA, and in promoting CCS projects is still significant. This is because she was previously a a civil servant during Miliband’s stint under the last Labour government. This was when he was secretary of state for the then Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Notably, Miliband’s role lasted between May and September that year. For a significant portion of this (between March and August), Herbert was deputy head of outreach and collaboration for the Office of CCS. At the time, Miliband was pushing for new coal-fired power stations to require full CCS deployment “from day one”. In other words, he was already trying to embed CCS as a lifeline for the fossil fuel industry, instead of phasing it out.
CCSA lobbying Labour pre-election
The Canary has compiled a timeline of the events and the ministers and MPs involved with the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) from October 2023 until the announcement on October 4 2024.
This is as following:
October 2023:
1. Labour Party Conference:
- CCSA and Green Alliance roundtable on CCUS. MPs/ministers in attendance: Then shadow environment secretary Alan Whitehead, and then PPC for Sheffield Central Abtisam Mohammed.
Notable private sector participants: East Coast Cluster, HyNet, and Cadent Gas, plus other CCS clusters. - ‘Economic Opportunities Of CCUS & The Role Of CCUS In Developing International Trade’ fringe event. MPs/ministers in attendance: None.
Notable private sector participants: Multiple CCS clusters, but not East Coast or HyNet. - ‘How Will CCUS Help The UK Reach Net Zero and Deliver A Just Transition For Our Industrial Heartlands?’ fringe event. MPs/ministers in attendance: None.
Notable private sector participants: HyNet, Eni, and Progressive Energy, as well as ExxonMobil, and Spirit Energy. CCSA representative was Ruth Herbert. - ‘Celtic Connections: The Role of CCUS in Decarbonising Scotland & Wales’ fringe event. MPs/ministers in attendance: Sarah Boyack MP. Notable private sector participants: Scottish, and Welsh clusters.
- ‘CCS Power’s Role Essential Role In Delivering Net Zero Energy Security’ fringe event. MPs/ministers in attendance: Then CCUS APPG chair Alex Cunningham. Notable private sector participants: SSE Thermal, as well as Spirit Energy and other clusters.
- ‘The East Coast’s Net Zero Economy: Decarbonising Humber & Teesside With CCUS’ fringe event. MPs/ministers in attendance: Then CCUS APPG chair Alex Cunningham. Notable private sector participants: East Coast Cluster, Phillips 66.
- FTI Consulting roundtable which CCSA went to. MPs/ministers in attendance: Then shadow environment secretary Alan Whitehead. Notable private sector participants: ?
November 2023:
1. Tour at St Fergus Gas Terminal in Aberdeenshire. MPs/ministers in attendance: Labour leader Keir Starmer, then energy secretary Ed Miliband, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Ian Murray MP. Notable private sector participants: Shell, and Harbour Energy.
2. CCSA Annual General Meeting.
MPs/ministers in attendance: Then shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband, and baroness Liddell.
February 2024:
1. Labour Annual Business Conference. CCSA attended and it commented that Reeves: “stressed the significance of CCS in enabling the continued use of fossil fuels while mitigating their environmental impact. Scaling up CCS infrastructure is pivotal for achieving a balanced energy transition.”
April 2024:
1. CCSA were a forum partner at the Innovation Zero event where it hosted a talk on ‘Opportunities in carbon capture, utilisation, and storage’.
MPs/ministers in attendance: Then shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband, former energy secretary Alan Whitehead. Notable private sector participants: VPI, Drax, Phillip 66, BP, Uniper, Progressive Energy, HyNet.
Carbon Capture and Storage: lobbying Labour post-election
July 2024 (post-election):
1. Tour of HyNet cluster with CCSA director Olivia Powis.
MPs/ministers in attendance: Energy and net zero minister Sarah Jones.
At this in particular, Jones signalled the new Labour government’s incoming funding for the East Coast and HyNet clusters.
September 2024:
1. Trade group Energy UK conference which the CCSA attended.
MPs/ministers in attendance: Energy secretary Ed Miliband (keynote speech)
2. Labour Party Conference:
- CCSA roundtable on CCUS. MPs/ministers in attendance: Co-chair of CCUS APPG Luke Myer MP, Tom Hayes MP, and John Newbury MP. Notable private sector participants: Multiple clusters including East Coast and HyNet.
- Accelerating Clean Power: SSE & 56° North Private roundtable. MPs/ministers in attendance: Energy minister Michael Shanks, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group chair Polly Billington, energy and net zero minister Katie White, Chris Murray MP, Alan Gemmell MP, Jack Abbott MP.
- SERA Panel Discussion on Carbon Capture & Storage. MPs/ministers in attendance: Bill Esterton MP.
- CCSA co-hosted the Energy Trade Association Coalition Reception. MPs/ministers in attendance: Energy and net zero minister Sarah Jones. Notable private sector participants: lobby group Hydrogen UK, Energy UK, among others.
CCSA has the ear of the new Labour government
Of course, this is likely non-comprehensive. It’s very plausible the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) has met privately with key Labour ministers. However, parliamentary rules revolving round ministerial transparency doesn’t apply to the opposition.
As such, these are not recorded and put into the public domain. The Canary therefore had to rely on events the CCSA had publicised across its social media.
At the end of the day, the latest £22bn investment demonstrated that the new Labour government is well and truly at the beck and call of the CCS industry. By extension, that invariably means big oil and gas. For all its commitments to end new North Sea fossil fuels licences, it’s clear that Labour isn’t planning to spell the end for the industry at large.
However, as new BP boss Murray Auchincloss has just shown with the company’s move away from green technology, the old guard energy majors will do nothing that hits the bottom line. And the bottom line in CCS technology is that it has extortionate costs and is so far unproven at scale.
Right now, the nascent, controversial technology is a convenient smokescreen for the industry to feign decarbonisation and continue on its destructive, polluting business as usual. Yet when the pricey reality sets in, it will likely drop these projects – leaving the public to mop up the spiralling costs.
The new Labour government is hitching billions of taxpayer cash to these uneconomic, fossil fuel industry-favourite vanity projects. It’s doing this while keeping the cruel two-child benefit limit, slashing the winter fuel payment, with more cuts to welfare likely on the way.
Given the CCSA’s extensive mingling with ministers over the past year alone, it’s easy to see how we got here.
Featured image via the Canary
