The UK Labour Party is retreating from its previously watered-down commitment to invest £28 billion annually in green infrastructure, a decision that has led to internal criticism and speculation about Ed Miliband's potential resignation. Party leaders Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves have backed away from the pledge, citing fiscal rules and economic challenges, despite Labour holding a significant poll lead. This reversal has raised questions about the party's direction, credibility, and ability to deliver on climate change initiatives, as well as the role of the private sector in future investments.
↩️ “It is the slowest U-turn in political history,” said one former Labour adviser about the £28bn green pledge reversal "You either explain it or you drop it, and they are not doing either of those things at the moment” https://t.co/FexoDnbidA
🚨 The HuffPost UK weekend political read on Labour's green policy agonies - and what it tells us about the party's internal tensions. "You can get away with making a thin offer to the electorate, but you can’t get away with offering nothing at all." https://t.co/kQsXwZuC8g
Labour Is Making Its "Slowest U-Turn" On £28bn Green Spending https://t.co/Y5g1XZSwAm
👀 “It’s pretty obvious it was a mistake to put a number on the policy” 🗑️ Labour figures who want Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to ditch the £28bn green investment figure appear to have won the day https://t.co/FexoDnbidA
Labour contortions on the schrodingers-cat green plan have become painfully awkward: today Darren Jones said "the number will move around just as a matter of fact" but Angela Rayner said "we want to ramp up to £28bn" can they keep this up until dumping it after Budget day?
Labour scrapping £28bn green pledge could leave UK colder, sicker and poorer - by @fionaharvey https://t.co/T2YgkZI8Wy
Green investment: what do the polls say? This week, @Moreincommon_ found that for those planning to vote Labour, the green prosperity plan is the second most popular pledge after cutting tax breaks on private schools - and 79% backed investment in tackling the climate crisis.
This Tory era shows false economy and short sightedness of austerity. UK is crippled by lack of infrastructure to tackle climate change, global economy, or enduring injustice. Holds so many back as a result. Labour must invest to save not just planet but public finances and jobs.
At a time when the Labour Party needs all the political capital it can get, it's shooting itself in the foot by dialing back its flagship green investment plan, @lararhiannonw writes https://t.co/E5gi23qitD
Labour’s decision to drop its pledge to spend £28bn on green energy initiatives shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as Keir Starmer’s political positions often change with the wind https://t.co/aJkkUkiHrg
1. Instead of backing down, it is time for Labour to face down the Tories and win the case for public investment in the climate transition - of £28bn and beyond. Thread. https://t.co/CyBqPmoubY
Heat on Labour leadership as they go cold over £28bn green plan, by me and @RachaelBurford https://t.co/sOYfqfqItS
Labour refuses to commit to £28 billion climate crisis pledge, with party citing 'fiscal rules' https://t.co/P2sXsRdHjv
Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves are under attack from within Labour circles as they turn increasingly chilly towards the party’s flagship environmental policy https://t.co/dIuX5AfjnV
“Voters will be a lot more alarmed by secret Tory cuts than by Labour’s open public investment plan.” Quite right, @pollytoynbee. @Moreincommon_ found that, among people planning to vote Labour, £28bn green investment is our second most popular policy. We should stand by it. https://t.co/U0gukyDuxQ
Shadow chief sec Darren Jones appears to confirm Labour has ditched its commitment to spend £28bn a year on green investment schemes if it wins this year’s election, as per our story last night.
This does nothing for the environment, or for the economy, or for Starmer's credibility. Labour to ditch £28bn annual green investment pledge, party sources say https://t.co/rH29EREyUe
We've had this one in the drafts for a while. Labour will keep the mission of investing in green infrastructure, but will cut investment in green projects by about two thirds, as per The Guardian. https://t.co/NpHUUchmsl
The disturbing truth: Tory pressure over Labour's £28bn a year green fund wasn't even big? It was very low intensity. Thanks to Tory self-implosion, Labour has a whopping big poll lead. And they still caved to minimal pressure. What does that say about when they're in power? https://t.co/jWK6QGj0aF
With Labour ditching the £28bn green plan, as @guardiannews reports, thought this was worth reposting. @IFS analysis shows Labour would miss its fiscal rules by £8bn on Aut Stmt forecasts. More if Tories spend all the headroom in March. It has options tho https://t.co/Px0A3DEBy1
"The amount of money we need to invest in our country, is much more than £28bn. That must be delivered by the private sector." Labour MP @darrenpjones defends Rachel Reeves' refusal to commit to Labour's flagship £28bn green investment policy https://t.co/AsstSZcIKs 📺 Sky 501 https://t.co/qnFhQM6l0A
Absolutely psyched to discover what Labour's position on its £28bn a year green investment pledge is this morning ... https://t.co/GuqzJbEBAd
Dear Labour, The country is broken. We need a change of govt, a change of direction. Give us a narrative of hope, not a drip feed of anxiety. Labour to ditch £28bn annual green investment pledge, party sources say | Labour | The Guardian https://t.co/Fi4p6e9CIS
There are days when you have to wonder, what is the point. Labour to ditch £28bn annual green investment pledge, party sources say “The change, after a spate of recent government attacks” No 10 must love that at least someone takes them seriously https://t.co/rLTIgYxZuu
Why is Labour’s plan for 28bn of green spending endlessly scrutinised while the Conservatives get a free pass on their new round of painful austerity? | Polly Toynbee https://t.co/CtzTy4xwIL
🚨 BREAKING: Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are officially ditching Labour's pledge to spend £28bn a year on green investment [@guardian]
The question is why Labour committed a v specific figure so far out from a GE campaign ‘Labour to ditch £28bn annual green investment pledge, party sources say’ https://t.co/sjKT0ZEKlq
Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton @aliciakearns says Labour need to be more honest with the public about their spending commitments, and things will get 'a lot tougher' for the party in the run up to the election. #PoliticsHub 🔗 https://t.co/GlTNastFii 📺 Sky 501 https://t.co/Uy2AbGbN0y
Looks pretty certain Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are about to ditch Labour’s flagship policy pledge to spend £28bn a year on green investment. It’s already been relentlessly whittled down but now it looks like curtains for it. Can Ed Miliband’s resignation be far behind?
ANALYSIS: Asked every which way today in our short interview for Reeves to commit to her £28bn energy pledge (already watered down in June). She wouldn’t. Bleak ec backdrop & raw politics explain Labour’s looming climb down on green investment pledge 👇🏻 https://t.co/y7sp6sLx0c
After 14 years of Tory cuts to national and local govt the capacity for any new govt to spend £28Bn won’t exist at first @RachelReevesMP was right to commit £28Bn to green our economy and tackle climate change It must remain our aim but only as our financial situation allows https://t.co/zRT248mUyy