In 2021, Rachel Reeves – shadow chancellor – announced a £28bn a year green investment pledge to be used for green jobs and energy as well as an enormous home insulation plan. Up until February 6th, Keir Starmer assured that they still intended to deliver on their promise if elected. Two days later, Labour announced their scaling back to £15bn a year, most of the cuts being on the home insulation scheme.
Labour explained their decision with the fact that it was no longer realistic in the current economic climate, ruined by the Conservatives and that they needed to be responsible. Although I agree with the idea that the economy has been damaged a lot by the past few governments, passing the entire blame on someone else is a weak move in my opinion.
"The issue lies in empty promises and false hope"
The problem is not recognising that it is no longer doable. The issue lies in empty promises and false hope. So many households which were eagerly expecting the home insulation plan to lower their energy bill are left disappointed once again.
I am not an economic nor a politics expert but I know that a party’s promises mean a lot to the electorate. Failing to meet them, even if it is the better choice for the country’s economy, is a move which will make them lose a lot of credibility. Citizens expect to be able to rely on their government and the Labour party has lost that trust by backing down from their promise. If they want to win, they need to step up their game.