Gloucestershire: Ecotricity founder Dale Vince caught up in storm over wind farms and political donations

By Peter Davison

2 June 2023

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Dale Vince

Outspoken Ecotricity founder Dale Vince has found himself in the middle of a storm over wind farms and political donations.

The owner of the Stroud-based energy supplier – who has made no secret of the fact that he supports the Labour Party and wants to be an MP - has been accused by tabloid newspaper The Sun of entering into a 'murky deal' with Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

The Sun claims the pair had "secret talks" days before Labour revealed the party confirmed its plans to block all new North Sea oil and gas projects should it win the next general election, proposing instead to invest heavily in renewable sources such as wind and also in nuclear power.

The Sun is also angry because Mr Vince is a vocal supporter of the disruptive campaign group Just Stop Oil, and because Mr Vince has made a £1.5 million donation to Labour's campaign chest.

Following initial reports of a "secret meeting" Mr Vince threatened to consult lawyers. But 24 hours later The Sun was still on its crusade.

Yesterday (Thursday) its editorial frothed: "Just Stop Oil supporter Vince cheerfully admits he spoke to Starmer just days before Labour’s pledge to ban future oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. Which just happens to be the stated aim of the JSO lunatics.

"So it would seem the price for Labour’s reckless new energy strategy — which could cost the UK billions and leave us at the mercy of foreign powers — is a measly £1.5m in party coffers.

"Starmer’s plan is a huge mistake which risks our safety and prosperity."

Mr Vince, who has spent the past few months touring the nation's right-wing TV and radio news channels arguing that for a protectionist government, energy security through UK-generated power is actually a good thing, has denied his telephone conversation with Mr Starmer was "secret" – pointing out that he discussed it on Radio 4's Today programme, which attracts 6 million listeners a day.

He also told listeners to the programme that he would not stop his support for Just Stop Oil – even if Labour said it was hurting their cause… which he didn't think it was.

"I do what I think is right," he said, and followed it up with a pledge to match any donation made to Just Stop Oil over 49 hours via its website.

By Peter Davison

Peter Davison is deputy editor of The Business Magazine. He has spent his life in journalism – doing work experience in newsrooms in and around Bristol while still at school, and landing his first job on a local newspaper aged 19. By 28 he was the youngest newspaper editor in the country.

An early advocate of online news, he spent the first years of the 2000s telling his bosses that the internet posed both the biggest opportunity and greatest threat to the newspaper industry and the art of journalism. He was right on both counts.

Since 2006 he has enjoyed a career as a freelance journalist. He lives in rural Wiltshire with one wife, two children, and three cats.