UK Chancellor Criticised for ‘Silence’ on Climate Change in Party Conference Speech

Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband has labelled Rishi Sunak a “climate delayer” after the UK chancellor said almost nothing about climate change in his speech at the Conservative Party conference today.

Sunak spoke about the post-pandemic economic recovery and promising new jobs in science and technology, but campaigners said the virtual absence of climate change was a “damaging sign” ahead of the COP26 summit due to start in Glasgow in under a month.

It comes after reports that the Treasury, under Sunak’s control, has been blocking green policies on infrastructure and home insulation which experts say are needed to meet the UK’s net zero emissions target.

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Ed Miliband, ex-Labour leader and the party’s current shadow business and energy secretary, said on Twitter: “Rishi Sunak’s near total silence on climate, the biggest economic challenge we face, is deeply worrying. 

“The sole mention went to the green homes grant — which he slashed funding for. Climate action offers huge potential to create jobs – it’s terrible he fails to recognise this.

“It’s a huge contrast with Labour where [shadow chancellor] Rachel Reeves has put climate action at the heart of our agenda, pledged to be the first green chancellor and set out the investment to do it.” 

Miliband went on to call the government “climate delayers”: “No wonder the government are such climate delayers when this chancellor has no interest in it.”

Source: Desmog