It seems that politicians are switching from environmental hypocrisy to green cowardice (“Sunak and Starmer are warned: don’t dump your green pledges”, News). Our current government has already exposed its true feelings about “green crap” by approving airport expansions, new coal mines and oil and gas exploration licences. Green initiatives are regularly announced and then quietly ditched. Businesses are encouraged to invest and then stranded by political backsliding. Customers are confused by ever-changing subsidies and grants.
We need true leadership to convince the public that action on the climate emergency is the highest priority. It will involve unpleasant decisions that will affect people’s everyday lives. If Labour want to differentiate themselves from the Tories they need to propose clear plans to help the worst affected. What we cannot afford is for both leading parties to renege on the commitments that Britain has made internationally to implement net zero. There is no place for cowards at the environmental top table.
Richard Gilyead
Saffron Walden, Essex
