Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Andy Burnham has voiced his support for Net Zero, raising concerns about the British government’s commitment to lowering the cost of living.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared that the United Kingdom must achieve Net Zero by 2050. 📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham reaffirmed the British government’s plan to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. In an op-ed for The Guardian, the Prime Minister announced roughly £30 million (~$40 million) for clean energy projects. The payment is part of an investment program by Great British Energy, a publicly owned green investment company created under former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. “I am determined that we meet the commitment on which Labour was elected and reach net zero by 2050. I want Britain to believe in itself again. That will not happen by asking people to stand still while the world spins around them,” wrote Burnham. This contradicts advice given by President Donald J. Trump at the start of the new Prime Minister’s tenure. “You have one of the most valuable oil finds anywhere in the world, and if the United Kingdom would use it, they’d be a wealthy country again… I could not get Starmer to use it. It was incredible,” said the President back in July. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “The climate crisis is not a distant threat. It is here and with us now. The British people are no longer insulated from the consequences, and they do not want to be excluded from the solutions. They are looking for ways to do their bit.” — Prime Minister Burnham 🎯 IMPACT: The Prime Minister’s recent comments suggest that the British government will remain committed to Net Zero. Burnham’s remarks contradict suggestions that his government could show greater leniency towards new oil and gas projects as the cost of energy remains high. This also makes it harder for Burnham to draw a distinction between his premiership and the government of former Prime Minister Starmer. 📺 FLASHBACK: Last month, Burnham delayed deciding on licensing new North Sea oil and gas drilling projects. That same month, it was revealed that over 100,000 jobs in the North Sea oil and gas sector are currently under threat, according to the British government’s own data. In July, BP announced plans to sell its North Sea oil operations, including roughly 1,100 jobs, citing the government’s Net Zero policies. |
Support for net zero, especially by 2050, is collapsing. So why is illegitimate Andy Burnham pressing on with this mess?
The share of the public who say the UK needs to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero sooner than 2050 fell from 54% in 2021 to 29% in 2025.
The… pic.twitter.com/1QFpezlhH6
— Raheem J. Kassam (@RaheemKassam) September 17, 2026
Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.