The commitment in the manifesto, which was launched on Tuesday morning, comes after shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint told Utility Week last month that Labour would reform the market, breaking up the vertically integrated companies, regardless of the CMA’s findings.
Lib Dem energy secretary Ed Davey has also said his party would not treat the CMA’s findings as binding, but added the recommendations “need to be taken very, very seriously”.
The Conservative manifesto also reaffirmed prime minister David Cameron’s commitment to “go all out for shale gas”, made at the start of 2014, by promising to continue the support for the safe development of shale gas.
The party outlined its plans to support “low cost energy efficiency measures”, and aims to insulated more than 1 million homes over the next five years. This falls significantly short of Labour’s proposals to improve the energy efficiency of 5 million homes over the next ten years.
The Tories added there will be a “significant expansion” of new nuclear and gas generation in the UK, as well as “good value” green energy, if they are in government after the election.
However, the party has followed through on its aim to stop any new onshore wind developments, pledging to remove all new subsidies for the technology, and changing the law to allow local communities to have the final say on whether they receive planning permission.
Despite this, the manifesto adds: “We have been the greenest government ever,” echoing Cameron’s commitment in 2010 when the coalition was formed.