Rutland MP, Alicia Kearns, says she has ‘…not finished fighting yet’, despite her proposed amendments failing to be included in the Energy Bill last week.

Mrs Kearns had put forward proposed changes to the Energy Bill following concerns about Uyghur slave labour being used in the production of some solar panels.

Rutland MP Alicia Kearns wanted to change the Energy Bill, ultimately blocking companies from using Uyghur forced labour in China.

Mrs Kearn's first aim was to block companies engaged in or benefitting from Uyghur forced labour from building large-scale projects in the UK.

The second amendment Mrs Kearns put forward for the bill was to ban the development of solar plants on sites of more than 500 acres where 20 per cent or more of the land is considered 'best' for farming.

While Mrs Kearns has suggested Canadian Solar, which is behind the Mallard Pass solar farm plans on the Rutland and Lincolnshire border, should be sanctioned, the company vehemently denies any links to Uyghur labour.

It says it does not reveal its supply chain because it is commercially sensitive information.

Mrs Kearns said: "By adopting my amendment, which would require solar energy companies to prove their supply chains are free of slave labour, the Government can ensure that nationally significant infrastructure projects are far more transparent, putting an end to the UK becoming a dumping ground for slave labour-produced solar.

"I have regularly called for our Government to take a stand against all forms of slave labour, and for the sanctioning of Canadian Solar. Uyghur blood labour must not stain our countryside."

Both of the MP's proposed amendments were rejected in parliament, and no further amendments to the Energy Bill are now possible before it is passed.

However, Mrs Kearns is not done yet it seems. In a statement after the proposals were rejected, she said: “While my amendment to tackle slave labour within significant energy wasn’t successful, I am not finished fighting yet.”

She added that her amendment had brought the government’s attention to “the horrifying extent of Uyghur forced labour” in some supply chains and the urgent action needed.

“I am hopeful that the government will finally bring forward the sanctions we need against companies seeking to operate in the United Kingdom who are complicit in using Uyghur slave labour in their supply chains across all industries,” she added.

The Energy Bill reached the report stage in the House of Common's last week, but Ms Kearns' proposed amendments were not accepted by her peers.

Ms Kearns has 'not finished fighting yet' however, and is still asking all those opposed to Mallard Pass to write her a letter explaining why, and to sign her parliamentary petition.

Mallard Pass solar farm will be one of the biggest in Europe. Image credit: LDRS / RCC.

Mallard Pass Solar Farm is a 2,175 acre solar farm proposed for Rutland-Stamford.

Read more about the development, and the local Conservative MP's stance against it, here.