The UK Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, is embroiled in controversy as it plans to scale back its £28bn green spending pledge, which has become a point of contention and a challenge to Starmer's authority. Despite a shadow minister's confirmation that Labour 'will' invest £28bn in green initiatives, reports suggest that Starmer will announce a reduced investment figure ahead of the March 6 budget. This decision, seen as Starmer's biggest policy U-turn, follows months of internal struggle and public divisions within the party. The move has prompted debate over its economic and environmental repercussions, with some accusing Starmer of yielding to conservative criticism, while others highlight the fiscal prudence required due to economic uncertainties.
🗞️ The Guardian: 'Fury as Starmer stages U-turn on £28bn green investment pledge' @AndrewDoyle_Com @LeoKearse @LewisSchaffer https://t.co/YUR6zbIx4l
“The party’s divisions over green investment have become a challenge to Keir Starmer’s authority.” 🖊️ @georgeeaton https://t.co/Twv5uJXFHK
‘This has been a slow motion car crash!’ Political Commentator, Peter Spencer, says it must be ‘particularly depressing’ for Keir Starmer after the Labour leader has ditched the party’s policy of spending £28bn a year on its green investment plan, in a major U-turn. https://t.co/aZTePy57W4
🔸Sir Keir Starmer faces a backlash over his latest u-turn 🔸One of the biggest hospitality companies is about to fold 🔸How invested in green policy should we be? @JonnyGould | @EltonMouna
Labour’s £28bn green policy U-turn – podcast https://t.co/Wp3Nw6jzRL
Sir Keir Starmer is defending Labour’s U-turn on its pledge to spend £28 billion a year on green projects, amid criticism from environmental groups, unions and energy industry figures. https://t.co/tvemWEA3EM
🗞️ The Guardian: 'Fury as Starmer stages U-turn on £28bn green investment pledge' @AndrewDoyle_Com @LeoKearse @LewisSchaffer https://t.co/QDHeGa41Ga
Keir Starmer has abandoned his £28bn energy plan in one of the biggest U-turns of his leadership. It’s been a problem since Ed Miliband devised it ⬇️ https://t.co/eP5Xk8MnVD
- Keir Starmer drops £28bn green ‘albatross’ in latest watering-down of policy - my @ft explainer on the biggest Labour U-turn for a generation https://t.co/j3ibJ13VXO via @ft
'Who knows what Starmer will do next?! Starmer is making it up as he goes along, the public need to scrutinise him and his party a lot more!' Minister for Common Sense, Esther McVey, reacts to Starmer's U-turn on his £28bn green pledge. https://t.co/lKPk3VxoWY
‘The only man who can offer us some hope is Keir Starmer. And yet he seems absolutely intent on not doing so.’ @BenKentish says Labour have ‘absolutely bottled’ their green pledge. https://t.co/9Q4fPAlCBD
Labour green spending plan ‘cut in half’ say top economists after £28bn a year U-turn https://t.co/XLj2x5UzDK
Friday’s FINANCIAL Times: “Starmer U-turn slashes £28bn yearly green spending promise to £4.7bn” #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/mjpMvvTjjO
Sir Keir Starmer’s big green £28bn U-turn. All the details on #BBCNewscast after @ChrisMasonBBC interviewed the Labour leader and we both chatted to @AnasSarwar. https://t.co/9YZ3SdTB3v
Labour in needless tangle over it's £28bn green investment policy that didn't exist in detail at all, writes deputy political editor @SamCoatesSky https://t.co/n0Pay8y79z
✍️ 'Starmer’s net zero u-turn is his most shameless yet' | Writes Tom Harris. Read more here 👇 https://t.co/uvijTuhVPc
On the day Labour scrapped its £28bn green pledge, the EU Climate Service announced global warming exceeded 1.5C for an entire year. @alextomo looks at what it means for the planet. https://t.co/yyqvpWMjIH
Starmer, Tuesday: I stand firm on the £28bn; it is an argument I welcome Thursday: What £28bn? https://t.co/hUO34SOKky
Labour has slashed its original £28bn green borrowing plan by 80%, blaming Liz Truss (no, really), and unveiled a new tax raid on oil and gas giants to bankroll the Net Zero drive. https://t.co/La1fGDzJOr
Keir Starmer performs biggest U-turn yet to drop £28bn green ‘albatross’ https://t.co/PVPiR1Blyj
Starmer performs biggest U-turn yet to drop £28bn green ‘albatross’ https://t.co/3m6t5lTllp
'It helps Rishi Sunak attack Keir Starmer as a flip-flopper.' @AndrewMarr9 analyses the impact of Labour's latest policy u-turn in the lead up to the general election as the £28bn green pledge is 'stood down'. https://t.co/sD4DEOcMbk
Labour’s U-turn on their £28bn green pledge shows I was right when I said @Keir_Starmer is a Marxist. As Groucho Marx put it “I have principles, but if you don’t like them - well I have others.” https://t.co/mNbg9vlQ4m
Tony Blair's former adviser says Keir Starmer's decision to drop his £28bn green pledge is 'the most stupid decision Labour has ever made', adding, 'but ask me the question again after next week's u-turn' https://t.co/F0HYH4S4LV
"It looks like we're going to experiment with a variation of austerity again." There is a feeling of disappointment in the Labour party over Keir Starmer's U-turn on the £28 billion green pledge says @labourlewis speaking to @JPonpolitics on #TimesRadio. https://t.co/33z1g0Lf2E
Labour says it remains committed to steel investment despite ditching of £28bn green investment plan https://t.co/io4sec8sJK
Labour slashes green plan to £4.7 billion amid Tory attacks https://t.co/Wm5PtIIHY7 via @elashton @Joe_Mayes @PhilAldrick https://t.co/AFVWCVSpPy
The most baffling part of all of this for me remains - why was Starmer still defending the £28bn as recently as this week?
Circumstances have changed, our ambitions have not. That’s what you need to know about the £28bn green plan | Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves https://t.co/sAs15uE036
'By abandoning the £28billion pledge, Starmer has utterly humiliated Miliband' ✍️ @toryboypierce https://t.co/5WYAY4KtQS
'It's outrageous. It's embarrassing. I don't even want to call him captain flip flop anymore, I think he's just full fat flop who gets blown around by anything!' Conservative, Marco Longhi, grills Sir Keir Starmer for ditching his £28bn green investment pledge. https://t.co/NnCYnCWMr4
RIP 28bn — details: Labour commits to spending 23.5bn over the next parliament — big drop Would expand windfall tax to fund green plan policies, which they say remain intact (but warm homes plan scaled back) Mini budget to blame, say Starmer & Reeves https://t.co/DlAq4ofQxI
Labour gives details of what's in green prosperity plan - https://t.co/OORkO5vJiM
As Labour drops its pledge to spend £28bn a year on green investments, Sir Keir blamed the party's major U-turn on the Conservatives' 'reckless' plans to 'max out on the government credit card' after doing 'terrible damage to our economy' https://t.co/qF39uZETCZ
Confirmed (finally) Labour to U-turn on £28bn green investment pledge One casualty is plans to insulate homes - which will be watered down (and take longer to achieve) https://t.co/demSpJUnI1
With Keir Starmer scrapping Labour's £28bn green investment pledge, our poll today shows that by 44% to 29% Britons tend to say the Labour party is not taking tackling climate change seriously All Britons Very/fairly seriously: 29% Not very/at all seriously: 44% 2019 Labour… https://t.co/XR9Bu5uKa6
The Sun's 60-Second News Briefing: Keir Starmer's £28bn green U-turn & warning of more snow https://t.co/4Kxlv4tZDS
💸 Labour has officially dropped the £28bn price tag for its Green Prosperity Plan after weeks of mixed messaging, but has reaffirmed a commitment to set up a state owned energy company https://t.co/PtU2j3IyqX
NEW: £28billion pledge downgraded to just £5 billion a year in Starmer's biggest u-turn yet. Tax raid will part fund extra £23.7 billion over five years. £12.9 billion will be borrowed with £10.8 billion coming from expanding and hiking Windfall Tax https://t.co/ZjR3gLf3o5
NEXT ON @GBNEWS Full details of the HUGE £28BILLION U-turn by Labour, who've sensationally ditched their key Net Zero targets Michael Gove has called Starmer "an invertebrate... a jellyfish" It's all kicking off - full details next!! https://t.co/q6iBrcOB3k
By abandoning his green pledge, Keir Starmer is ceding ground to the Tories. Great parties need great causes, writes @johnmcternan. Now Labour has none 👇 https://t.co/Wq9qbw1ayg
The Standard View: Flip-flopping Keir Starmer kills his green dream https://t.co/8n1eBQUu5e
Labour promised to commit £28 billion. And then changed their mind. This isn’t the first time they have shifted positions. Or the second. Labour don’t have a plan. https://t.co/RrxhkQLhIu
Ed Miliband ‘to support Labour ditching flagship £28bn green pledge’ following speculation he could resign https://t.co/7L6NJ1IeOn
Sir Flip Flop Starmer strikes again Telling journalists he’s keeping his £28bn Green energy splurge without any plan as to how he’d pay for it Meanwhile behind the scenes Labour sources are briefing that it is being ditched A new low even for Starmer More flop than flip-flop https://t.co/QbC3dpNLQA
Labour now must find a way to make it clear that it’s just the £28 billion figure that’s gone, not the ambition for green investment which the UK is in dire need of (via @opinion) https://t.co/5ugHXECGKi
Rishi Sunak takes aim at Keir Starmer over £28bn green pledge U-turn https://t.co/rnux6HZn9w
Labour is taking flak for ditching its £28bn green investment policy, but they didn’t want to go into an election on a promise they couldn’t possibly deliver. ‘What’s wrong with that?’ said a bemused Nick Clegg (and every other politician ever) https://t.co/dNMGn9facF
EXC: Labour's home insulation scheme will be cut sharply as part of today's U-turn on the £28bn green prosperity plan, sources tell the Guardian. https://t.co/jNszmPcsrZ
‘As ever with Keir Starmer, he says one thing and does another.’ Conservative MP James Daly discusses Keir Starmer’s plans to ditch Labour’s policy of spending £28bn a year on its green investment plan, in a major U-turn. https://t.co/GGT8ctiEl9
I suspect the most common reaction to the ditching of Labour's £28 billion green investment pledge will be "The what now?"
Labour is under fire for abandoning its pledge to spend £28 billion a year on decarbonising the economy #frontpage The ditching of the plan comes after scientists warned that the global climate is already entering dangerous new territory Read more: https://t.co/g0yi9RWPJE https://t.co/9kjuayPRei
Britain's opposition Labour Party is expected to scale back its flagship pledge to spend 28 billion pounds on building up green industries when it provides an update on the policy https://t.co/Y8H0EKHyUZ
“We’ll all go to hell together.” Ahead of Keir Starmer’s U-turn on his £28bn green investment pledge @BarryGardiner, Labour MP and former shadow energy secretary, says “this is not looking like leadership”. @AasmahMir | @StigAbell https://t.co/o0IUz2QJ6X
The dumping of the Green Prosperity Plan casts major doubt on whether Labour can provide the leadership to meet the challenges of a fast warming world. This latest u-turn will leave many voters asking what, if anything, our party stands for. Dangerously short-sighted politics. https://t.co/9d6hMFGtk4
Keir Starmer braced for major u-turn as Labour set to officially ditch flagship £28bn green pledge https://t.co/dPqjqR7Hdn
Labour is expected to U-turn on its £28bn green investment pledge just 2 days after Keir Starmer told #TimesRadio the money is “desperately needed” to “get to grips with the tough decisions on planet”. @KateEMcCann https://t.co/wQxabEmVAQ
Sorry to start a dreich day with an obvious and depressing connection : Starmer retreats from £28bn green investment to grow UK economy and reduce your heating bill - same day global climate stats say last 12 months exceeded 1.5c warming for first time
Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves under fire from Labour figures over U-turn to drop £28 billion-a-year green spending pledge - @jitjoshi reports https://t.co/hRocf1gkr7
Interesting tweet from a Labour frontbencher on the day Keir Starmer dumps his £28bn-a-year green energy pledge. https://t.co/UvaEZzpHcA
Why Labour has finally U-turned on its £28bn green pledge – it concluded the policy was too politically dangerous, writes @georgeeaton. https://t.co/75Shago7lZ
This is the European context in which Labour is dropping its £28bn pledge. The end of the zero interest rate era makes the "green transition" a lot more complicated and expensive. https://t.co/SstkQSdxmq
Starmer, Monday: I stand firm on the £28bn; it is an argument I welcome Thursday: What £28bn?
On the day it's confirmed global warming has, for the first time, exceeded 1.5C across an entire year, Starmer is ditching his pledge to invest £28bn a year in green energy. With our abundant renewable resources, Scotland will suffer because of another screeching Labour u-turn. https://t.co/rIl2NHym8p
Labour to announce a shift on £28 billion green investment plan https://t.co/UVHXOt2dSA via @elashton https://t.co/tkrXtQ0vYO
if Labour had a pound for every time it changed its climate plan, it would have approximately £28bn
Labour will abandon its policy of spending £28 billion a year on environmental projects in a major U-turn https://t.co/iSHV2yXw42
'This man wants to be Prime Minister. He can't even stick to the policies he's announced two days ago!' @BenKentish challenges Keir Starmer's 'absolutely pitiful decision' to U-turn on Labour's £28bn green energy plan. https://t.co/uJln5nNKGr
Labour’s former climate change spokesman Barry Gardiner says ditching £28bn green pledge is ‘economically illiterate and environmentally irresponsible,’ adding there are risk that Labour’s manifesto will be ‘so bland’ the public will conclude the party ‘stands for nothing’
Sir Keir Starmer will today formally scrap Labour’s pledge to invest £28 billion a year in green infrastructure, after months of uncertainty over the plan ⬇️ https://t.co/BZYE4IxFQ3
'This is a big u-turn' Chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman spoke to #BBCBreakfast as Labour prepare to officially ditch its pledge to spend £28bn a year on its green investment plan https://t.co/zEO3kIdA5n https://t.co/FbCflsbPeH
UK's Labour to back out of 28 bln stg green pledge -BBC https://t.co/JdtTzCiGp7 https://t.co/1u8W5RtQh4
Labour will abandon its policy of spending £28 billion a year on environmental projects in a major U-turn following months of uncertainty about the pledge. @TheSpurrShow asks: is this a sensible U-turn or another example of a 'flip-flopping' Labour Party? https://t.co/jc0qSAai9F
Labour will announce tomorrow that it is scaling back its flagship green prosperity as a result of uncertain public finances, Sky News understands Read more 🔗 https://t.co/qM1bgeX3Ul
When Shifty Sunak is able to call you out for not keeping your word, it’s time to reflect on your actions. Starmer has broken so many promises that he made to labour members & the public since becoming leader. Tomorrow he’s going to confirm another u-turn on green investment. https://t.co/whWwAcpPtm
🇬🇧 (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party will back out of its 28 billion pound ($35.34 billion) policy pledge that sought to invest in green energy, BBC reported on Wednesday citing sources. The party is no longer looking to commit to the investment in green energy… https://t.co/Vqex7JkQp2
"It's probably the most stupid decision the Labour party's made." John McTernan, former adviser to Tony Blair tells #Newsnight that Labour's decision to reportedly scale back on their £28bn green pledge is "disappointing." https://t.co/Qz9DX0BJsx
⚠️ UK'S LABOUR TO BACK OUT OF 28 BILLION STG GREEN PLEDGE -BBC Full Story → https://t.co/JOGyPJqoSz
Our most recent Saturday read on Labour’s long, internal struggle over the £28bn figure https://t.co/QZOrgb2ElX https://t.co/zBoTGQ8QIQ
Keir Starmer's spokesperson this afternoon: "We're committed to our green prosperity plan, including ramping up in the second half of the next parliament to £28 billion... the position hasn't changed." A few hours later: https://t.co/PygeH5PbDz
The Labour leadership concluded that the £28bn green pledge was too politically dangerous – my piece on what's behind the U-turn. https://t.co/MEfgKJivfp
As Keir Starmer prepares to finally dump Labour’s £28bn green pledge, here’s our piece from last weekend on the internal Labour tensions behind it. https://t.co/kQsXwZu4iI
Why the row on Labour’s £28bn Green Prosperity Plan gives us a foretaste of the political difficulties to come for a Labour Government. My piece for @NewStatesman. https://t.co/IvLjGPxeBN
‘What a slippery, slithering little snake he is, Sir Keir! He’s a populist leader...’ @LeeAndersonMP_ attacks Sir Keir Starmer after reports he is going to U-turn on Labour's £28 billion 'net zero' borrow and spend pledge. https://t.co/Gjl3enfHwa
Two days after Starmer said the £28 billion was "desperately needed" and that he would be "unwavering" in delivering it. https://t.co/0YeNtV396M
BREAKING: Labour to ditch £28bn green prosperity plan, Sky News understands Read more🔗 https://t.co/ZuTPzt1vKa
🩴 Flip Flop Starmer strikes again. He’s gone back on every pledge he’s ever made. A man of no principles and no backbone. https://t.co/FMuCRgqQU0
So Labour looks as though they are ditching their only flagship economic policy - a £28bn green pledge. This is remarkable. Are they incompetent or untrustworthy? Starmer has changed his tune on almost every major issue. Vote Labour and have no idea what you’re getting! https://t.co/OFi07M0rVX
Keir Starmer yesterday: “£28 billion spending is desperately needed” Keir Starmer today: https://t.co/2v0p8kx45H
BBC reporting Labour has ditched its plan to spend £28bn/year on “green” investments. Fair enough. But I reckon this is about the 5th time it’s dropped this policy in the last 12 months. Perhaps this is the definitive ditching, in which case I expect we’ll wake up to Ed…
As Labour set to ditch £28bn figure on the Green prosperity plan tomorrow, expect Labour to pin this on 1/ economic uncertainty due to what they say is Tory mismanagement of econ 2/ Will prob also say finalising manifesto details this week & the figure (see 1/) didn’t make cut
News alert. Keir Starmer is set to ditch the £28bn green borrowing figure **tomorrow**. An attempt to finally end weeks of media speculation and give clarity. Stood up report by @kiranstacey @PippaCrerar.
Our most recent Saturday read on Labour’s internal struggle over the £28bn figure https://t.co/QZOrgb2ElX https://t.co/NMfSW7OPS6
this time it’s actually happening: Labour will tomorrow ditch target to spend £28bn a year on green investment https://t.co/sPiNyuGnQ7 via @ft
Keir Starmer abandoned his leadership pledges en masse. To replace them, he made a £28bn green investment plan his centrepiece. This was then briefed against. His Shadow Chancellor dumped it. He then defended it. Now he's dumping it. https://t.co/c815t8roPa
Reason Labour getting into such a twist on this is that Starmer wants to ditch the figure - £28bn- without ditching the underlying principle- borrowing to invest in green tech. But it’ll obvs hard to land the idea that the policy stays with the £££ commitment watered down. https://t.co/sh3RugGlkJ
one day later: Starmer is about to drop the £28bn https://t.co/KjAXrVPJ6j
Starmer to finally end Labour’s epic confusion over £28bn tomorrow. Here’s how I concluded my piece. https://t.co/KIbwZ1Eo0u https://t.co/vL2HSwoWzS
So deeply depressing - not only bad for climate & environment, but for economy too. Public investment in green transition would bring in private finance, create jobs, reduce fuel bills, cut emissions & make lives better. Starmer should stand his ground not bow to Tory pressure https://t.co/8BdfIKX0u9
Starmer to announce scaling back of £28bn green investment plan https://t.co/MR3v3mQ1Vn
EXC: Starmer will finally kill off the £28bn green pledge *tomorrow*. Labour leader to make his biggest policy u-turn yet after weeks of speculation. Full story here: https://t.co/0Lkb1M3Vlg
Labour "will" spend £28bn a year on green plans in the next parliament if they enter government, according to a shadow minister ⬇️ https://t.co/26CiCiB6Rb
Sunak predictably attacking idea of £28bn of green investment, choosing to ignore that funding green transition would bring in private investment, create jobs, cut emissions & make lives better in the process. Economically illiterate as well as environmentally destructive #PMQs
Labour 'will' spend £28bn on green pledges - shadow minister Read more ⬇️ https://t.co/yEdLQVdhen
Who runs Labour? My NS cover story on how public divisions over £28bn have become a challenge to Starmer’s authority. https://t.co/KIbwZ1Eo0u
Keir Starmer is **still** planning to scale back Labour's £28bn green spending pledge despite saying money is 'desperately needed' Labour leader expected to announce new lower figure ahead of March 6 budget after months of confusion and infighting He will retain core elements… https://t.co/0QriY2I6k1
“The party’s divisions over green investment have become a challenge to Keir Starmer’s authority.” 🖊️ @georgeeaton https://t.co/MaSZAZisUO