EAST RIDING – As of this week, the bookies favourite for Mayor of Hull and East Riding remains Luke Campbell for Reform UK, though the details of their policies and possible impact on local people remains unclear.
But one thing voters should seriously consider at the May 1st vote is Reform’s well publicised stance on green investment. In particular, the party’s Rage against Net Zero which Nigel Farage has described as ‘lunacy’.
Consider this, over the past 15 years, Hull and East Riding has increasingly relied on clean energy investment and jobs in the renewable sector under the umbrella of the UK’s Net Zero plan, which Reform want to scrap.
Regardless if you agree with ideology on climate change, the NetZero consensus, in this region has meant jobs and incomes for families and continues to drive the local economy. Estimates from the CBI show up to 35% of jobs in this area will be dependent on green investment by 2035. So any shift in political direction away from that may have significant consequences for us all. And so far the potential new Mayor has been at best uncommitted on the topic when asked.
Hull and East Riding has built a reputation for leading in green industry and local council’s have a long history of collaboration to bring in more money. The Green Port Hull initiative, for example, attracted global firms such as Siemens Gamesa, establishing the city as a key base for offshore wind turbine manufacturing. Hull is now home to some of the largest offshore wind farms in the world. Alongside these, energy storage projects like those at Pillswood and Melbourne have started to strengthen our grid and improve energy self-sufficiency.
This green transformation hasn’t just been about climate targets. It’s also been about economic revival, attracting billions in investment and creating skilled jobs in engineering, logistics and manufacturing. The local economy, which once struggled with post-industrial decline, has found a new purpose through the renewable energy sector.
Although Luke Campbell’s views remain vague, Reform UK has taken a clear stance against the UK’s current Net Zero targets. The party argues that these policies place an unfair burden on households and businesses, and have called for a rethink of the UK’s climate commitments. Their focus is on what they describe as a more pragmatic approach to energy, which includes continued use of fossil fuels alongside other technologies.
That raises important questions. Would a mayor who is against Net Zero commitments alter the direction of policy in a way that affects investor confidence? Might firms that chose Hull because of its leadership in green energy reconsider their plans? Could the Hull and East Yorkshire devolution deal, which includes a regional Net Zero strategy, be compromised?
These are not hypothetical concerns. The renewable energy sector in Hull and East Riding is well established, supporting thousands of jobs. Siemens alone employs hundreds locally, and many smaller businesses have grown around the supply chains that support offshore wind and battery storage. Clean energy is now central to the region’s economic identity.
Any suggestion that the region is stepping back from its green ambitions could create uncertainty. Businesses and investors look for long-term policy stability. Even the perception of policy reversal or hesitation can be enough to cause delays, or to send investment elsewhere.
Voters will have to decide whether Reform UK’s approach reflects the direction they want the region to take. The question is whether a different energy strategy would build on the region’s current momentum, or risk disrupting it.
The renewables sector has given Hull and East Riding a rare opportunity: to lead, to grow, and to compete on a national and international stage. With so much already achieved, and more on the horizon, the stakes in this election go far beyond party politics. They reach to the heart of what kind of economy this region wants — and needs — in the years ahead.
Elections are been held for Mayor of Hull and East Riding on 1st May 2025, the full list of candidates includes:
Anne Handley – Conservative
Mike Ross – Liberal Democrat
Margaret Pinder – Labour
Luke Campbell MBE – Reform UK
Rowan Halstead – The Yorkshire Party
Kerry Harrison – Green Party