Octopus Energy founder and CEO Greg Jackson told the FT Climate & Impact Summit that UK and European politicians should stop urging “sacrifices” for climate goals and instead focus on lowering electricity bills. He warned the current rollout of the electricity transition has eroded public support and argued that aligning policies with consumers’ immediate self‑interest is essential for net‑zero.

The Reform UK party, contesting the Makerfield by‑election, proposes scrapping all net‑zero commitments, cancelling renewable contracts and ending subsidies for wind and solar projects. Jackson said such cuts need not clash with cheaper electricity, noting that Octopus has long argued that a greener grid and localized pricing can shave hundreds of pounds off household bills. He called current retail tariffs a “dumping ground” for policy‑laden surcharges.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has pledged to reduce household energy costs by hundreds of pounds and to decarbonise the grid by 2030, echoing Jackson’s call for cost‑focused climate policy. Former Canadian environment minister Catherine McKenna added that ending fossil‑fuel subsidies would make clean power cheaper. The debate underscores that affordable electricity, not sacrifice rhetoric, will determine public backing for the energy transition.