Campaign group Power for People has thanked MP for The Cotswolds, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, for supporting a Bill that would increase domestically generated clean energy - helping to reduce the UK's reliance on gas.

The proposed new law, known as the Local Electricity Bill, is supported by a cross-party group of 280 MPs.

If made law, it would create a new 'Right to Local Supply' of energy that would empower communities to sell locally generated electricity directly to local households and businesses. This was a key recommendation of the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee, who advise the Government on environmental policy, following their recent inquiry into community-scale renewable energy.

Currently customers can only purchase electricity from nationally licensed utilities. The Bill's supporters say this means money people use to pay their energy bills is not helping to rebuild local economies and local clean energy infrastructure.

The campaigning group, Power for People, are calling for MPs and the Government to make the Bill law and are leading a supportive coalition of organisations including Community Energy England, Community Energy Scotland, Community Energy Wales, Good Energy, WWF, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the RSPB. 87 local authorities have also pledged their support.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for The Cotswolds, said: "I am pleased to support the Local Electricity Bill which will empower and enable new community energy companies to sell energy that they generate directly to local people, helping to strengthen local economies. This would help accelerate our transition to clean energy and reduce our dependence on natural gas.

"In the future, we could possibly see a solar power installation providing all the energy needed for a nearby village or town, this would be a real boost to achieving our net-zero target by 2050. This is crucial in avoiding the potential economic and ecological devastation of climate change. I will do all I can to ensure it becomes law."

Power for People's director, Steve Shaw said: "We thank Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP for supporting the Local Electricity Bill. If made law, the Bill would unleash the huge potential for new community-owned clean energy infrastructure, making our energy system more robust and boosting local economies, jobs, services and facilities in The Cotswolds and in communities across the country."

Responding on behalf of the Government on the July 1, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Minister, Amanda Solloway MP, said of the Bill that the Government, "agreed with its broad intentions", but not the detail.