In late 2021, Keir Starmer was at a leadership crossroads, with Labor members still licking their wounds after defeat in the Hartlepool by-election. He needed something big and bold to excite the party and capture voters' attention. He was under pressure to match President Biden's Green New Deal ambitions. Labor has therefore made a major commitment to spend £28 billion a year as part of a major strategic investment package to move the economy towards a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
As political correspondent for the Guardian Kiran Stacey To tell michael safi, the plan was always a little vague. Although the £28 billion figure was not earmarked for any specific spending commitments, its symbolic value was welcomed by environmentalists as a serious step towards Britain's commitment to protecting the environment. However, it didn't take long for the attack to begin. And when Liz Truss, as Tory leader, set borrowing costs high, debate within the Labor Party intensified over the feasibility of the £28bn plan. Yesterday, Labor officially withdrew it.
Environment Editor of the Guardian fiona harvey, Labor may have found a short-term political solution by breaking its commitments, but it faces even bigger problems if it does not continue to focus on green investment at the level required by the UK's international commitments. It explains why.
Photo: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian
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