- Socialist Campaign Group of MPs calls on Labour to maintain radical climate policies
- Over 400 Labour members tell Starmer to fight for bold post-covid green recovery plan
- Demands include nationalisation of key industries, free broadband and a state-managed scaling down of fossil fuels and aviation
The Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) of Labour MPs has today piled pressure on the party’s leadership demanding they maintain the radical ‘Green New Deal’ climate programme put forward at the last election.
Members of the group, including former Leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-Shadow Chancellor John McDonell, issued a statement calling on the party to push for policies like net-zero emissions by 2030 and public ownership of the energy sector, passed overwhelmingly at the 2019 Labour party conference. By reaffirming its commitment to these policies, Labour would be putting “climate action… at the heart of everything our country does as we rebuild after the… pandemic”.
The SCG also praises the campaign group which brought the motion, Labour for a Green New Deal, who this week put forward plans for a ‘People’s Green New Deal’ as part of ‘a new social settlement’ post-covid. Over 350 Labour members sent in their model submission to the consultations being run by the party and Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband within 24 hours.
The group is advocating sweeping state intervention as part of a plan to create millions of green jobs while decarbonising the economy. This would involve the government taking key industries and utilities into public ownership, in order to ‘green’ the economy and secure new ‘universal rights’ to water, energy, broadband and warm homes after lockdown.
They are also calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, and public stakes in failing airlines, with over 1,500 Labour members signing a petition calling on the party to back a state-managed just transition which scales down flights and supports workers.
Labour is running a consultation on its ‘green recovery programme’, as calls mount across the political spectrum for a greener, fairer post-pandemic economy. In an interview launching the consultation, Miliband, whose brief covers energy and industrial strategy, called for “the most ambitious green recovery in the world”, comparing this to the post-1945 spirit, when Labour built the NHS and modern welfare state.
Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, has promised a mini-budget in July based on investment and jobs, adopting the framing of a ‘green industrial revolution’ employed by Labour in their 2019 manifesto.
Angus Satow, co-founder of Labour for a Green New Deal, said: “With the Arctic on fire, the economy on its knees and public support for a green recovery soaring, now is the time for Labour to push for a transformative Green New Deal. Labour members and trade unions have made our voice known – amid unprecedented crises, the party must renew its radicalism. That means fighting for millions of green jobs, universal rights delivered through public ownership, and international climate action. If not now, when?
“As it stands, Rishi Sunak’s ‘green jobs’ budget will do little more than distract from a return to an exploitative economy. Labour must urgently put forward proposals to scale down fossil fuels and aviation, while providing the secure jobs, warm homes, restored nature and green energy this country needs.”
Letter from members of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs:
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.
Diane Abbott MP
Tahir Ali MP
Paula Barker MP
Apsana Begum MP
Christine Blower
Pauline Bryan
Richard Burgon MP
Ian Byrne MP
Shami Chakrabarti
Jeremy Corbyn MP
John Hendy
Ian Lavery MP
Clive Lewis MP
John McDonnell MP
Ian Mearns MP
Graeme Morris MP
Kate Osamor MP
Kate Osborne MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Zarah Sultana MP
Jon Trickett MP
Claudia Webbe MP
Mick Whitley MP
Nadia Whittome MP
