What does the pledge mean? 

The pledge in Labour’s 2024 manifesto seems to refer to an entirely new piece of legislation (rather than an update to current legislation) named the “Energy Independence Act”. It forms part of the manifesto chapter “Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower”, and follows an apparent commitment to achieve “energy independence from dictators like Putin”.

While the manifesto doesn’t outline exactly what will be included, it says the legislation will “establish the framework for Labour’s energy and climate policies”. We’ve asked the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for clarity on what this “framework” may be.

The wording of the pledge specifically refers to an act, rather than to a bill. This implies that the pledge will be fulfilled when the bill passes into law, rather than when the bill is introduced to Parliament. No timeframe is given for when this will be done.

What progress has been made?

An Energy Independence Bill has not yet been formally introduced to Parliament, but it appears to have been referenced in both King’s Speeches delivered under the Labour government.

The government’s first King’s Speech stated that “legislation will be brought forward to help the country achieve energy independence and unlock investment in energy infrastructure”, though legislation was not introduced during the 2024-26 parliamentary session.

The bill was directly named in the May 2026 King’s Speech, which said: “My Ministers will therefore introduce an Energy Independence Bill to scale-up homegrown renewable energy and protect living standards for the long-term [Energy Independence Bill].”

The government’s website includes the “Energy Independence Bill” in the list of the Minister for Energy’s responsibilities.

In March 2026, Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy asked the government when it planned to introduce the Energy Independence Bill. Responding, energy minister Michael Shanks MP did not provide a timescale. Speaking of the wider government “mission” to “make the UK a Clean Energy Superpower” and potential legislation associated with this, he said the government would “set out our plans in due course”.