SNP MSPs are to challenge their Labour counterparts to stand up and urge the UK Government to commit to investing £28 billion every year in green projects.
The challenges will come as part of a Scottish Government-led Holyrood debate on green investment and the UK’s “failure to keep pace”, The National understands.
It comes amid uncertainty as to whether Keir Starmer’s Labour will keep a pledge of £28bn worth of green investment each year when in government after reports variously suggested it could be set for the chopping block.
At first, Labour had said they would spend £28bn every year, but shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves later watered that down, saying the figure was only a target to work towards in the second half of a first parliament.
READ MORE: Labour 'already watering down major green spending commitments'
Responding to reports that the pledge was to be axed altogether earlier in January, Labour said the plan was “to ramp up to £28bn of annual investment in the second half of the parliament, subject to our fiscal rules”.
In December, the Guardian reported that Starmer would consider scaling back the plan this month. The Labour leader has previously hinted he could cut the £28bn pledge due to the financial state of the UK.
Within the party, key voices have urged Starmer not to renege on his pledge.
Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor for Greater Manchester, urged Starmer earlier this month to “stick to your guns”.
“This is not spending, this is investment in the future, investment in new industry, investment in better homes for our residents, better transport,” he said.
A motion before the Edinburgh Parliament will see Scottish Labour MSPs challenged to also call on Starmer to stick to his previous £28bn pledge.
A text of the motion seen by The National calls for MSPs to recognise the limits a lack of action on green investment at UK level “imposes on Scotland”.
It further asks them to note: “That the CCC [Climate Change Committee] have estimated that 1-2% of GDP needs to be invested in the transition annually until 2050, and therefore calls on the UK Government to urgently increase green investment to at least £28bn a year to ensure Scotland and the rest of the UK can deliver a just transition to net-zero.”
It further condemns “declining levels of investment in the UK”, which it says are “in stark contrast to initiatives to increase public investment elsewhere, such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the US and the European Green Deal”.
The motion is set to be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.
Scottish Labour net zero spokesperson Sarah Boyack said: “The SNP’s newfound support for Labour’s clean energy mission is welcome, but after almost 17 years in government it should have some more ideas of its own.
“This SNP government has missed countless environmental targets, broken promises on green jobs, and abandoned its plans to set up a publicly-owned energy company – but Labour will deliver where the SNP has failed.
“Only Labour can deliver this transformative green investment which will drive down bills, create jobs, and deliver energy security.”
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