A FORMER senior adviser to Tony Blair has admitted to wondering “what is the point” in response to the Labour Party under Keir Starmer.
John McTernan, who served as the former prime minister’s director of political operations from 2005 to 2007, showed exasperation with Labour’s uncertain stance on its vaunted £28 billion green investment plan.
Competing briefings from the party have cast doubt on the flagship policy, which was announced by shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves in 2021.
When first announced, the policy was to spend £28bn every year as Reeves (below) boasted of her ambition to become Britain’s “first green chancellor”.
This has since been revised down to an “ambition” to reach that number by the second half of a Labour government, with the party publicly blaming the increased cost of borrowing in the aftermath of Liz Truss’s premiership.
But privately party figures have briefed the press that the policy was viewed as an “albatross” and are concerned it could bolster Tory attacks on Labour in the run up to the election.
READ MORE: Labour denies dropping £28 billion green investment pledge despite reports
Former party leader Ed Miliband, now shadow energy secretary, is reportedly wedded to the watered-down plans while Reeves and her allies are said to be hostile to it.
McTernan (above), who has become increasingly vocal in his criticisms of Starmer, tweeted in response to a story in The Guardian reporting that party sources had said the plan would be scrapped.
He said: “There are days when you have to wonder, what is the point.”
Noting the change reportedly came in response to “a spate of recent Government attacks”, McTernan added: “No 10 must love that at least someone takes them seriously.”
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