The government likes to say the UK ‘leads the world’ in offshore wind – it forgets one thing

The truth behind Downing Street rhetoric is that Britain is still lagging behind China, the US, Germany, India and Spain in overall electricity production from wind, writes Andrew Woodcock

Whatever could it be that is holding us back from matching other countries? (PA)

Whenever you hear a government minister talking about energy, you know you won’t have to wait long before they start boasting about the UK’s “world-beating” offshore wind industry.

It was the same this week, when Boris Johnson excitedly told MPs on the Commons Liaison Committee: “Renewables are fantastic and offshore wind – and I stress offshore wind – I think has massive potential.”

And indeed, in terms of gigawatt production capacity, Britain ranks top in the global rankings, despite fierce competition in recent years from China.