PM speaks out on US and green energy race

Britain had a "huge opportunity" to get ahead of other countries in the race for green investment after the election of Donald Trump as US president, Keir Starmer said yesterday as he arrived in Azerbaijan for the Cop29 summit.

- Kiran Stacey

Trump's election victory last week has cast doubt on global efforts to tackle climate change, which the president-elect has called a "hoax". But as the most senior world leader attending the summit in Baku, Starmer insisted that the global political turmoil could benefit the UK economy.

Asked about Trump's position on climate change, Starmer said: "The climate challenge is something that we have got to rise to and that's why I've repeatedly said we've got to show leadership.

"But I do think it's more than just an obligation, it's a huge opportunity. The UK has a huge opportunity to get ahead here when it comes to renewables - that's why I'm encouraging as much investment as I can when it comes to carbon capture, when it comes to hydrogen, when it comes to offshore wind."

He added: "There's a global race on now to be the global leader on this. I want us to be in the race and I want us to win the race."

Starmer arrived in Baku yesterday evening as one of only two G7 leaders to attend the summit, the other being Italy's Giorgia Meloni.