Experts destroy Tory inexperienced plans and say Labour’s are 4 instances higher
Rishi Sunak’s green credentials have been shredded by experts – who say Labour’s plans are four times better.
Researchers from Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth say there is a “clear and obvious choice” ahead of the General Election. But they called on Labour to be “bolder” if it gets into Government.
The two groups scored Labour 21 out of 40 on its key measures, with the Conservatives languishing on just five. But they said both are far behind the Greens, which scored 39, and the Lib Dems, who were awarded 32.
Greenpeace UK’s head of politics, Rebecca Newsom, said: “Labour set out a clear vision for a bright future with lower bills and clean energy, while generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and cutting emissions – helping to tackle the climate crisis. Meanwhile, the Conservatives’ divisive proposal will deliver the very opposite. More fossil fuels, more toxic air pollution and more climate-wrecking emissions that will hit the poorest hardest.”
She went on to say that the manifestos for the two major parties offer a “clear and obvious choice.” Friends of the Earth’s head of policy, Mike Childs, said: “With the UK veering so dangerously off track for meeting its climate targets under the Conservatives – whose manifesto is so distinctly lacklustre it’s almost laughable – it’s encouraging that Labour is 100% committed to delivering on the internationally agreed goal to reduce emissions by more than two-thirds by 2030.
“This is vital if the UK is to play its part in the global effort to avert runaway climate breakdown. But to do so, Labour must develop additional policies to those in its manifesto and come up with a robust strategy for funding vital measures to make sectors like farming and housing greener.”
How the parties were rated
The groups scored Labour highly for pledging to reduce the UK’s dependence on oil and gas and boost renewables. It has also committed to reduce carbon emissions by two-thirds by 2030.
But it lost points for not commiting to the scale of funding needed for greener farming, cheaper public transport, or upgrading cold, carbon-leaking homes as fast as is needed.
The Greens and Lib Dems were praised for committing to a wealth tax to help improve public transport and international development. They also said they’re prepared to borrow to fund more energy efficiency upgrades in homes.
