Ed Miliband has accused Nigel Farage of peddling “nonsense and lies” about the government’s commitment to net zero, as the Reform UK leader said the issue could become the “new Brexit”.

The energy secretary said both Mr Farage’s party and the Conservatives were prepared to “make up any old nonsense and lies to pursue their ideological agenda” ahead of next month’s local elections.

The former Labour leader also warned if an anti-net zero agenda was followed, it would not only risk “climate breakdown” but also “forfeit the clean energy jobs of the future” in Britain.

In an article for The Observer referring to price rises that began in 2022, he wrote: “Our exposure to fossil fuels meant that, as those markets went into meltdown and prices rocketed, family, business and public finances were devastated.

“The cost of living impacts caused back then still stalk families today.”

‘Hopelessly out of touch’

After the government’s decision to take control of British Steel from its Chinese owners earlier this month, Mr Farage accused Mr Miliband, whom he has repeatedly called “Red Ed”, of pursuing “net-zero lunacy”.

He said efforts to cut carbon emissions have made it harder to source the coal required to keep blast furnaces at the company’s crisis-hit Scunthorpe plant running after supplies were shipped from abroad last week.

In an interview with The Sun, Mr Farage said net zero could become “the new Brexit”, “where parliament is so hopelessly out of touch with the country”.

The Reform leader wants the government to ditch its target of achieving net zero by 2050.

Since she became Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch has also cast doubt on the government’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 – a target made by her own party.

But Sir Keir Starmer is expected to double down on the government’s commitment to clean power at an International Energy Agency conference in London this week.

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‘We need a British DOGE’

In his interview with The Sun, Mr Farage also vowed to be Britain’s equivalent of Elon Musk by cutting excess council spending if his party claims victory in next month’s local elections.

Mr Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has dismantled entire US federal agencies and cut tens of thousands of jobs.

The Reform leader said he would “send in the auditors” to every council Reform wins, adding: “The whole thing has to change. We need a British DOGE for every county and every local authority in this country.”

That’s despite the National Audit Office warning councils are facing a major funding crisis, with social care in particular putting huge strain on their budgets.

Votes for 1,641 council seats across 23 authorities in England will take place on 1 May.