Tory critics say the Uxbridge election win shows there is a political price for forging ahead with green policies. Read more at straitstimes.com.
LONDON – Britain, blanketed by cool, damp weather, has seemed like one of the few places in the Northern Hemisphere not sweltering this summer. Yet a fierce political debate over how to curb climate change has suddenly erupted, fuelled by economic hardship and a recent election surprise.
With a general election looming next year, the Tories also see an opportunity to wield climate policy as a club against the opposition Labour Party, which once planned to pour £28 billion a year into green jobs and industries but scaled back its own ambitions amid the economic squeeze. Even before Mr Sunak’s comments, critics contended that Britain’s historically strong record on climate policy had been waning.
“This used to be an issue of across-party consensus; now it is not,” said Mr Tom Burke, chair of E3G, an environmental research group. “The Tories have gone out of their way to turn it into a wedge issue, and I think that’s a mistake.” The surprise Conservative victory also sent alarm bells ringing within Labour. It caused tension between Mr Khan, who insists the expansion will go ahead, and the party’s leader, Keir Starmer, who seemed to want a delay.
Such language is worlds away from a year ago, when Mr Ed Miliband, who speaks for Labour on climate issues, told Climate Forward, a New York Times conference in London, that “the imprudent, reckless thing to do is not to make the investment.”He did, however, also argue that consumers should not carry all the burden of the transition. “The government has to collectivise some of those costs to make this transition fair,” said Mr Miliband, a former party leader.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Heavy traffic at land crossings due to bilateral exercise at Tuas Second Link on WednesdayThe exercise will take place from 6am to 2pm. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Evening Update: Today's headlines from The Straits Times on July 25, 2023Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Malaysia Edition: Tussle for Felda vote bank | Music festival canned over LGBTQ furoreRead more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Whale alert: Rare mammal sighting off Hong Kong creates buzz and curiosityThe whale was initially sighted in mid-July and seemed to have disappeared for a week. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Repatriation flights head for Greece as wildfires force tourists to fleeTourists spent the night on the airport floor, waiting for repatriation flights. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Fire at heritage shophouse in Waterloo Street cost The Theatre Practice $200k in damagesThere were damages to the buildings on 54, 56 and 58 Waterloo Street. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »