WIND farms can be “incredibly popular” and Tory opposition is pushing up energy bills, a Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister has argued.

Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, vowed his party would continue to back onshore farms as part of a “dramatic increase” in renewable energy investment.

And he accused the Tories of a “potential abuse of the planning system” by blocking so many applications – and even overturning some given the go-ahead by local councils.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Mr Davey said opinion polls consistently showed about 65 per cent of people in favour of onshore wind, with opposition “in the single figures”.

And he said: “It’s a joke. Conservative opposition to onshore wind – and it’s an ideological opposition - is going to put people’s bills up

“Onshore wind is currently the cheapest, large scale renewable energy, so if you don’t invest in that, you are going to have to invest in other, not so cheap renewable energy.”

Wind farms have provoked huge controversy in the North-East, where County Durham MPs joined forces to oppose any further proposals - arguing the area is “full up”.

Five MPs, led by Sedgefield's Phil Wilson, penned a letter to Durham County Council's leader, urging him to “step back and consider the visual impact any further proliferation of wind farms will have on the local landscape”.

At that time, two years ago, they argued the county already had 17 operational farms, six had planning permission and there were a further 13 “in planning”.

The Conservatives have pledged an effective moratorium on new onshore wind farms will be in place within six months of victory in May’s general election.

The party’s manifesto will also pledge to scrap the subsidies paid by bill-payers change the planning system to allow local councils to block any further onshore farms.

And Eric Pickles, the Conservative Communities Secretary, threw out 19 applications last year, stalling £500m of investment by “the back door”, critics said, to ward off the Ukip threat.

Mr Davey argued the Coalition had introduced protections for local people, with compulsory “pre-consultation” by developers and larger “community benefits”.

And he said: “There is no free pass for onshore wind, nor should there be. However, onshore wind can, and does, play an important role in a green, secure energy strategy.”