Keir Starmer justifies Labour’s reversal on £28bn green investment

Labour Drops £28bn Green Investment Pledge

Keir Starmer insists U-turn on investment pledge is necessary

Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced that the party will be dropping its £28bn a year green investment pledge due to its unaffordability in the current economic climate. Starmer defended the decision, stating that the Conservative party’s mismanagement of the economy has made the pledge unsustainable. However, he emphasized that Labour remains committed to investing more than the Tories in green projects if elected.

Conservatives criticize Labour’s U-turn and lack of a plan

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticized Labour’s decision, claiming that it demonstrates their lack of a coherent plan. Sunak argued that without a plan, meaningful change cannot be achieved. He also pointed out that Starmer has a history of U-turning on major issues, undermining the credibility of Labour’s economic policies.

Labour scales back green investment plans

Labour’s decision represents a significant scaling back of their plans to invest in green industries. The revised pledge will amount to an additional £4.7bn per year, significantly less than the previously announced £28bn. The party will also reduce grants and loans for home insulation and will now part-fund the investment package using taxes on energy firms’ profits, rather than relying solely on government borrowing.

Labour defends revised investment plans

Sir Keir Starmer justified the changes to the spending plans, stating that they were necessary given the economic situation. He highlighted the damage caused by the Conservatives’ mismanagement of the economy and argued that it would be irresponsible to ignore these factors. Labour has emphasized that the revised plans adhere to their spending rules, ensuring that debt falls as a share of the economy over five years.

Mixed reactions to Labour’s U-turn

Labour’s decision to abandon their green investment pledge has received mixed reactions. Left-wing campaign group Momentum and Unite, Labour’s biggest union backer, criticized the U-turn as a capitulation to right-wing interests. However, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves defended the decision, stating that Labour’s plans are fully funded and necessary given the bleak inheritance left by the Conservatives.

Remaining pledges and funding allocation

While Labour has scaled back its green spending, some pledges remain unchanged. This includes funding for grants to improve home insulation, which will now cover five million homes over five years. Other commitments include investments in renewable-ready ports, battery factories, clean steel production, and grants for green job creation. Labour has allocated £13.2bn over five years for home insulation grants, £1.8bn for renewable-ready ports, £2bn for battery factories, £3bn for clean steel, and £500m annually for green job grants.

Labour has also confirmed an initial investment of £8.3bn over five years to establish a publicly-owned clean generation company, with £3.3bn allocated for councils and community groups to become owners of local power.

Read More of this Story at www.bbc.com – 2024-02-09 10:07:53