Labour’s Green Economic Recovery

A bold, innovative proposal.

Labour has brought forward its plans for a Green Economic Recovery to be implemented on the way out of coronavirus. £30 billion in capital investment as part of a stimulus package to create 400 000 green jobs in 18 months. This is exactly the sort of thing Labour should be talking about.

2019’s manifesto had broad public support (often by supermajorities) for its policy prospectus. On of the effects that meant it wasn’t viewed favourably (at all) and was broadly dismissed by the public is an effect of overload. Lots of excellent ideas cam out, but people hadn’t been introduced to them, they were just chucked out.

Labour’s broadband policy was exactly what we need to create a strong 21st century economy, but throwing it out mid campaign saw it ridiculed, even though the ideas have public support and it was an excellent example of forward thinking policy for the long term interests of the economy.

What Labour can start to do in proposing this (and this must just be the start in a gradual build up; a Green Industrial Revolution on a colossal scale is the goal for 2024) is make themselves associated with green economics, as the Tories attempt to steal their clothes.

Labour must make themselves the party of green industry, and future prosperity, spread out equally. These green policy ideas open up a sphere that can genuinely start knitting together a coalition of all the disparate elements Labour must draw support from to win. If they keep talking about this and proposing things they can own it by 2024.

If they do this right, and get the tone right, they can even boost public perception of their economic “competence”. This is where Starmer’s Labour must be genuinely radical, this is where their path to power could reside.

The argument is there for the taking, now go win it.