Britain’s Labour Party cuts back its flagship climate-change policy

After monthsGDP of prevarication, the Labour Party has made a dramatic reversal of its plans to decarbonise . In 2021 the party announced that if it got into power, it would spend £28bn ($35bn; 1.2% of ) annually until 2030 to cut emissions and build up green industries; it subsequently adopted the more limited goal of getting to that level of spending after 2027.On February 8th , the Labour leader, cut that figure to around £4.7bn per year, blaming the Conservative government for a weak economy, elevated borrowing costs and limited fiscal headroom. “We’ve got to adjust to the situation we find ourselves in,” said Sir Keir. “As circumstances change, you have to adjust your decisions.” The political calculation behind this decision is understandable; the policy that results remains a mess.