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Government's ‘green industrial revolution’ condemned over the lack of funding pledged

The TUC calls on Johnson to ‘step up his ambition’ and to ‘put his money where his mouth is’

A GOVERNMENT plan for a “green industrial revolution” was roundly condemned today due to the lack of funds pledged to implement it.

The plan, which was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will mobilise £12 billion of government investment to create and support up to 250,000 highly-skilled green jobs.

Ten areas earmarked for funding under the plan include offshore wind power, hydrogen and nuclear power, electric vehicles, carbon capture, environment protection, new technology and development of zero-emission ships and aircraft.

But the TUC said that the PM should “step up his ambition,” arguing that fast-tracked spending on green infrastructure could create 1.24 million jobs by 2022.

TUC general secretary Frances Grady said: “A proper green-jobs drive can stop mass unemployment, power our economic recovery and help tackle the climate crisis. 

“No more excuses: it’s time that the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is.”

MPs also pointed out that most of the funding is not new.

Philip Dunne, the Tory chairman of the commons environmental audit committee, said: “It is disappointing that of the £12 billion funding in the plan, only £4 billion is new.”

Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said: “The funding in this long-awaited announcement doesn’t remotely meet the scale of what is needed to tackle the unemployment emergency and climate emergency we are facing, and pales in comparison to the tens of billions committed by France and Germany.

“Only a fraction of the funding announced today is new. We don’t need re-badged funding pots and reheated pledges, but an ambitious plan that meets the scale of the task we are facing and — crucially — creates jobs now.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash argued that the plan lacks detail on how public transport can be maintained and expanded.

“We need more detail, not more of the Prime Minister’s electric dreams,” he said.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Catmail said: “What has been outlined is a canvass half-painted. We need to see the full picture.”

GMB Scotland secretary Gary Smith said that his union was “clear that there should be no more consents for offshore wind without clear commitments to UK supply chains on fabrications and construction.”

 

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