The Guardian view on Labour's ?28bn green deal: don't prove Tories right by ditching it | Editorial

Sir Keir Starmer wants to change his country for the better. That won't happen if he drops his key industrial strategy for growthSir Keir Starmer promised that his green prosperity plan would be a manifesto commitment ahead of the next election. Labour's proposal was to be the centrepiece of its economic offer to generate growth, create well-paid, secure jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was striking, exciting and popular. In mid-January, the party leader told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that spending ?28bn by the end of the next parliament would make the UK secure in energy and lower household bills.If a week is a long time in politics, then a fortnight might be called an era. Sir Keir's plan appears to have gone up in smoke. If so, that's bad news for the environment and the economy. Inadequate public and private spending is holding back growth while there is a crying need for investment to decarbonise the UK. Other countries are already eyeing up the opportunities. New green industries could be worth $10tn to the global economy by 2050. Britain risks being left behind. Continue reading...