Keir Starmer’s mind unchanged on key issue despite threats from Reform | Politics | News
Despite Tory and Reform attacks on the green agenda, Sir Keir Starmer’s view on the need for climate action remains unchanged. The Prime Minister is preparing to go to Brazil for the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Answering questions alongside Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Sir Keir acknowledged COP30 would be a “challenge” due to slowing global progress on cutting emissions and a deepening geopolitical divide over climate action.
He said: “I think climate change has been our biggest challenge as a species for many, many years.”
“I didn’t change my mind just because others changed their minds.
“It’s very important that we go and show that leadership. So we’re going to go for it.”
His comments come as the consensus on climate action, both in the UK and globally, is splintering and concerns are growing about the effectiveness of the multilateral process.
Labor came into Government promising to remove almost all fossil fuels from the UK’s electricity supply by 2030, as part of efforts to secure energy supplies, cut bills, boost investment and tackle climate change.
But the agenda has faced serious pushback from the Conservatives and Reform UK, who have vowed to abandon “expensive” net zero policies and repeal climate legislation.
Meanwhile, the President of the United States Donald Trump He has vowed to “unleash” oil and gas drilling while withdrawing the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases from the 2015 UN Paris Agreement to limit dangerous global warming.
Claire Coutinho, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, said: “Countries are not persuaded by Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband flying around the world to give them moral lessons; they are persuaded by prosperity. Ed Miliband’s insane energy policies have locked Britain into sky-high energy bills and destroyed economic growth for decades. He is setting us a warning, not an example, to the rest of the world.”
“Our cheap energy plan will instantly cut everyone’s electricity bills by 20%. Think how much easier it will make it for people to buy electric cars and home heating rather than Ed Miliband’s bans and taxes, which will hit struggling families hard in the pocket.”
Sir Keir faced backlash in September after it was reported that he was considering not attending the COP30 leaders’ summit to focus on domestic issues as the polls rose in Reform UK.
Downing Street was later also forced to deny that it was set to miss its 2030 target to keep energy bills low.
