Article by Sienna Rodgers for Labour List
Labour left MPs including and have joined party activists
in calling for the new leadership to support the ‘Green New Deal’
policy programme.
Members of the Socialist Campaign Group, which represents the
parliamentary party’s left, have signed a letter demanding that
the climate programme put forward by Labour in 2019 is not
dropped.
The push comes from members of the previous leadership team –
Diane Abbott, Ian Lavery, Richard Burgon – and from new intake
MPs such as Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Zarah Sultana.
The letter states that after Labour conference approved a
‘Socialist Green New Deal’ motion, party policy includes
commitments to a path to net-zero by 2030 and public ownership of
the energy sector.
The conference push was led by campaign group Labour for a Green
New Deal, which is now encouraging party members to
use its model
submission for Labour’s consultation on a green
recovery.
and launched a
consultation on the creation of an ambitious green and
just economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis at the start
of the month.
According to Labour GND, within 24 hours more than 350 party
members had sent their template describing a “new social
settlement” to the policy consultation. It concludes at the end
of June.
The policy proposal includes public ownership of key industries
and utilities, a Warm Homes for All programme, full-fibre
broadband free at the point of use and the cancellation of Global
South debt.
Asked whether Labour backs a 2030 net-zero target, Keir Starmer’s
spokesperson said: “The last manifesto made a number of really
important commitments on this, which Keir supported, but we lost
the election and Labour lost five years in government to tackle
climate change.
“The next manifesto, the next target, will be written in four or
five years’ time and we’ll have to deal with the circumstances we
are in then.”
Responding to those comments, Angus Satow of Labour for a Green
New Deal said: “We strongly oppose the suggestion that Labour
should abandon its vital, popular and groundbreaking climate
programme because of our election defeat.
“With the Arctic on fire and unemployment soaring, the Green New
Deal has never been more urgent. It’s not enough for to delay this question until
2024 – he must fight for our programme, and our planet, now.”
Below is the full text of the letter and
signatories.
The recovery from Covid-19 must tackle the urgent climate crisis
facing our planet. With the highest ever temperatures recorded in
the Arctic Circle, we cannot delay in taking action to save our
planet and future generations.
We believe that the necessary and urgent action must consider not
only the historic responsibility of the UK in greenhouse gas
emissions, but also the need for a just transition for workers
employed in the energy industry.
Thanks to work of campaigners, trade union representatives of
energy workers and others, since conference 2019 Labour Party
policy includes:
International exchange of technology and expertise to support
other countries’ transitions
- A path to net zero by 2030
- A ban on fracking
- A just transition, based on public ownership of an
integrated, democratic energy sector
- Free or affordable green public transport
- Ecological restoration to increase biodiversity
- Welcoming climate refugees
- Building and retrofitting social and council housing with low
embedded carbon
We support the recommendations of Labour’s 2019 report ‘Thirty by
2030’, and the work of Labour for a Green New Deal in continuing
to push for Labour conference policy to be made a reality, to
save our planet for our children, and to fight for climate action
to be at the heart of everything our country does as we rebuild
after the coronavirus pandemic.
Christine Blower
MP
MP
Graeme Morris MP
