Greens warn of bad actors hijacking pylon concerns

Ben Isaac-Evans

Wales Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter has accused “bad-faith actors” of stirring division over renewable energy projects in Wales. 

Speaking amid controversy surrounding new pylon proposals across mid-Wales he said “The people that are stirring up communities, similar to the 20mph issue, making them viciously opposed to this will do the same with solar farms, whoever owns them, whether the community owns them or whether a foreign company owns them. That will be the next culture war issue.” 

The comments come after a recent protest was held outside the Senedd over the proposed pylons. 

He added “It’s a tricky thing as there are some well-meaning community groups who have concerns about their environment and their neighbourhood. However, I think with a lack of community ownership and that some communities have genuine concerns, others amplify the volume and get angry by it. What concerns me is that bad faith actors weaponise the issues, and that politicians of all parties try to reassure people that it’s not going to happen there and make wild promises that all the cables are going to be undergrounded. When that doesn’t happen and the pylons go up its adding to the erosion of trust in politics.” 

He also raised concerns about solar farms, saying: “That is a hot issue bubbling away, there are areas of concern around them, but pandering to cultural warriors is never enough. 

“It isn’t just one issue, but we have a responsibility not to promise the earth. 

“What we find on the doorstep is the level of distrust and anger with politicians is higher than we’ve ever known and that’s what Reform and the further far right feed off. 

“I’m not dismissing communities concerns or their attachment to the landscape, but it is very emotive and we need to talk to people on an adult level.”

Divisive

Asked about the upcoming Senedd election, he said: “It’s definitely going to be a divisive campaign. Reform are going to talk about immigration a lot which isn’t a devolved issue. They’re going to weaponise that.

“They’re going to weaponise the need to meet net zero, but we’ve got strong, clear policies, and robust policies, and I’m confident we can stand up to them.”

On his take on the rise of the Greens in the opinion polls and how much of an impact Zack Polanski has made, he said: “Zack helps, obviously. I’d be a fool to deny that, but what’s happening in Wales, particularly in Cardiff, is we came second in the general election in Cardiff South and Penarth in 2024 and that’s the first time we’ve ever done that in Wales, and then we took a Labour seat in Grangetown (Cardiff council) last year.

“So, the momentum was there already, and we could see that we could win a seat in the Senedd. That’s changed since then within the polls and we could win a few seats in the Senedd. 

“I’ve known Zack for years. I consider him a close friend and colleague. He spent four or five days with me in south Wales three years ago meetings different green groups and campaigns and you can see he’s a great communicator. People feel really valued by him. He’s absolutely the right person that came along at the right time to lead the wider Green Party but building on the work that lots of good people did for Zack to come along and do this. 

“He’s always welcome to campaign here with us in Wales as often as he wants, whereas if I was a Welsh Labour member I probably wouldn’t want Keir Starmer coming to Cardiff. 

“What’s happening to the Greens in Wales is similar to what’s happening in Gorton and Denton. We are replacing Labour and we are the people to take on Reform.” 

An Omnisis poll that was published last week for the by-election shows:

Greens – 20%  

Reform – 17%  

Labour – 15%  

Conservatives – 3%