Labour's flagship policies to tackle climate change are coming under attack from critics both inside and outside the party, with the underlying fear that the costs and debts involved in funding them will also become increasingly unpopular with voters as the general election nears and they are subject to more intense scrutiny.
Keir Starmer has had to face some hostility at the GMB conference over his plan to end new fossil fuel projects in the North Sea. He has also had to justify accepting a £1.5m donation from Dale Vince, the owner of the green electricity company Ecotricity and a high-profile supporter of Just Stop Oil which advocates precisely the policy on UK oil and gas exploration that Labour has just adopted.
The Conservatives have also suggested that Labour's £28bn climate investment pledge is unaffordable. So the question arises: are Labour's green policies sustainable enough to make it into government?
How much trouble is Starmer in with the unions?
Some. The unions with members in the oil and gas sector, principally focused on operations off the coasts of Scotland and East Anglia, have obviously been the most vocal - the GMB, Britain's third-largest union, which donates up to £2m a year to the party, and Unite, the second-largest, which is worth £1m a year in affiliation fees.
This story is from the June 07, 2023 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 07, 2023 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Disco-pop princess fills the dancefloor like no other
Dua Lipa is doing what she does best on Radical Optimism’, getting feet tapping and bodies moving to slickly-made beats with an undeniable chart-topping energy
Hollywood made Dunaway pay for her independence
With new documentary ‘Faye’ set to premiere in Cannes, Geoffrey Macnab tells the cautionary tale of how the strong, chic ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ star ended up acting in B-movies
Dortmund unlock the joy of Sancho after United misery
As the Borussia Dortmund players eventually left the pitch after their customary serenading by the yellow wall, there was only one player everyone was talking about.
Villa frailties exposed by confident Olympiacos
The problem with assuming a Europa League winner with Sevilla is bound to conquer the continent is that there is more than one of them.
Chelsea beat lacklustre Spurs with magic free kicks
As the saying goes, fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Ange Postecoglou insisted Tottenham had “far more important issues” than defending set pieces before a second London derby in five days, but a potential problem for the Spurs manager is now growing into a crisis after this defeat to Chelsea.
The AI app that shows just how bad dating is right now
As a new app launches with the promise to help men placate their ‘angry girlfriends’, Olivia Petter asks what this type of technology says about our expectations of men – and women
As a father, I think banning smartphones is hypocritical
Today, around 3,000 schools in the UK have had to stop educating children and instead let adults use their buildings as polling stations in which to exercise their democratic right to vote.
Do today's US protests really compare to Sixties struggles?
As the calendar turned from April to May, police marched onto the campuses of two major universities, one on each coast of the United States, and dispersed hundreds of students.
Turkey halts trade with Israel over Gaza deaths
Turkey yesterday suspended all imports and exports to Israel citing the country's ongoing military action in Gaza and vowed to continue to impose other measures until the Israeli government allows the flow of humanitarian aid to the region.
Biden condemns violence at colleges amid Gaza protests
Joe Biden yesterday condemned the unrest and violence that has disrupted college campuses over the last week, while stressing the importance of the right of Americans to protest peacefully in support of the Palestinians’ treatment during Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
