Starmer facing revolt on net zero oil ban: Unions and even Labour MPs attack ... trends now
Sir Keir Starmer was facing a mounting revolt over his multi-billion-pound net zero plans.
Industry leaders, union allies and even the Labour leader's own MPs spoke out against his proposal to ban new North Sea oil projects, and borrow £28 billion a year for a 'Green Prosperity Plan'.
They said it risked scuppering the economy and haemorrhaging skilled jobs. The GMB, one of Labour's biggest union backers, warned the party against its 'naive' plans to limit oil and gas production, which have been hailed by eco-zealots Just Stop Oil.
Sir Keir is due to unveil his long-awaited net zero strategy in a speech in Scotland this month, and is expected to include a pledge that any borrowing for investment should be limited to green schemes.
He will visit a nuclear plant in Somerset on Monday as he steps up his party's commitment to improving Britain's energy security and moving to low-carbon sources of power to tackle climate change.
Sir Keir Starmer (pictured April 3) was facing a mounting revolt over his multi-billion-pound net zero plans. Industry leaders, union allies and even the Labour leader's own MPs spoke out against his proposal to ban new North Sea oil projects, and borrow £28 billion a year for a 'Green Prosperity Plan'
But the Labour leader is facing growing unease over the cost and impact of the plans. GMB general secretary Gary Smith told Sky News: 'Their policies are going to create a cliff edge with oil and gas extraction from the North Sea.'
It came after Sharon Graham, of the Unite union, which represents oil rig workers, warned that such a move by Labour could have the same impact as the closure of coal mines in the 1980s.
She said: 'Labour must now be very clear that they will not let workers pay the price for the transition to renewable energy.'
Offshore Energies UK, which represents major oil companies, said Labour's plan to block all new developments in North Sea could lead to 45,000 job losses and a 60 per cent drop in domestic production. Chief executive David
