Burnham Urged to Hold Firm on Labour's Net Zero Policy
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- Britain's net zero economy is worth £100bn a year and supports higher-paying jobs than the UK average, according to figures cited in the article.
- Unite leader Sharon Graham called energy secretary Ed Miliband a "noose around the neck" of job creation, prompting debate over Labour's green direction.
- More in Common's Luke Tryl said net zero is "one of the few glues that unites Labour's coalition," with polls showing more than 60% public support and roughly a third of Reform voters backing the target.
- Local election analysis showed that for every 2024 Labour voter who switched to Reform, approximately six moved instead to the Liberal Democrats or Greens, undermining the case for softening green policy.
- North Sea oil and gas employment fell from 36,000 direct jobs in 2013 to about 30,000 by 2024, with supply chain roles dropping from 200,000 to 100,000, as over 90% of reserves have already been extracted.
- Andy Burnham declared a 2038 carbon neutrality target as Manchester mayor and championed electric buses, insulation and clean energy projects during his tenure.
- Greenpeace UK's Angharad Hopkinson urged the next prime minister to "act on the evidence outside their window" and stay the course on climate policies following this week's record heatwave.
Why it matters: With over a million UK jobs now tied to the net zero economy and auto factories already retooling for EVs, any wobble from a future PM would carry concrete investor and supply-chain consequences. Labour's own electoral math — six progressive switchers for every Reform defector — suggests softening green policy is more likely to alienate the voters it needs to win back than to win over sceptics.
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