Starmer: Ditching green spending pledge was about ‘being straight’ with voters

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted Labour is being “straight” with voters, as the party faced criticism over the decision to ditch a key pledge to spend £28 billion a year on green projects.

Environmental groups, trade union allies and energy industry figures have all expressed disappointment at the U-turn – while the Tories have continued to attack Labour’s fiscal credibility.

Senior Labour figures took to the airwaves in the wake of the announcement as Sir Keir sought to present a united front with shadow and climate secretary , the latter seen as a key backer of the now-junked policy.