LABOUR’S decision to ditch another pledge today by backtracking on a proposed £28 billion “green prosperity plan” has met condemnation from environmental groups.

The party previously claimed that the plan would “transform Britain” and “cut bills, create jobs, and lead on climate.”

But shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves today told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “no plan can be built that’s not on a rock of economic and fiscal responsibility.”

She refused to say how much Labour would spend on “green investment” because “who knows what more damage the Conservatives are going to do to our economy?”

She said that when she made the original commitment to spend £28 billion: “The truth is I didn’t foresee what the Conservatives would do to our economy — maybe that was foolish of me.”

Greenpeace slammed the decision to U-turn, with UK head of politics Rebecca Newsom said: “Any U-turn would be a huge mistake.

“Without the necessary immediate investment, we will lose out on the creation of thousands of jobs needed as we phase out fossil fuels, and we will lose out on the opportunity to put green tech industries at the centre of our economy. 

“Rachel Reeves rightly cites the opportunities of green growth, but this prevarication on confirming the scale of investment needed from the start of a new Labour government risks throwing in the towel on the global race in green tech, with the US, China and the EU already far ahead.

“It would be simply bad economics to say that we can’t afford this now when it would pay for itself.

“Green infrastructure investment is now one of the best economic growth generators, and with it the opportunity to lower bills and tackle the climate crisis. Labour mustn’t let this go.”

A Momentum spokesperson described the move as “a hugely disappointing step backwards” and a Labour backbencher told the Morning Star that figures on the right were trying to “gut the party of any progressive agenda.” 

Former Jeremy Corbyn adviser Andrew Fisher tweeted that “the arguments for this watering down really don’t stack up,” adding: “People can turn on the news and see investment in tackling climate change can’t wait.

“They can look at other countries and see that it isn’t waiting there. And what if another global economic crisis hits in 2024 or 2025? Will it be delayed again?”

The Scottish National Party said Labour’s decision “could have very real and damaging consequences for Scotland's green energy potential.”

SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn said: “The Tories have trashed the UK economy with Brexit, cuts and their failure to properly invest in renewable energy — but rather than change, the Labour Party is offering more of the same.”

Ms Reeves justified Labour’s dumping of the spending commitment by saying: “I will never be reckless with the public finances,” and “no plan can be built that’s not on a rock of economic and fiscal responsibility.”

She denied that the decision was a U-turn.

Ms Reeves made the pledge to spend £28b a year on green transition at Labour’s annual conference in 2021, declaring that she would be “Britain’s first green chancellor.”

Labour has also abandoned its commitments to abolishing university tuition fees, renationalising public industries including energy and water and introducing progressive taxation.