No.10 denies Net Zero 'hysteria'

DOWNING Street has rejected Sir Tony Blair's claim that “hysteria” is playing a part in the international debate on climate change after the former prime minister criticised efforts to limit fossil fuels.

- PRESS ASSOCIATION REPORTERS

Sir Keir Starmer disagrees with his predecessor about the tone of global discussions about net zero, Number 10 indicated, after the former Labour leader argued the conversation had become “irrational”.

In a foreword to a report by his think tank the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) published on Tuesday, the New Labour prime minister had argued the current climate approach “isn’t working”.

The intervention was seized on by political opponents as an attack on Sir Keir’s plans to cut carbon emissions and achieve net zero by 2050.

Yesterday, No 10 failed to deny that the Government has asked the TBI to issue a clarification after the non-profit sent out a follow-up statement insisting its report backed the Labour administration's climate target. Asked whether a request had been made for the institute to row back from the remarks, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: