Unite Union Fires Back at Net‑Zero Plans: “Act Now or Lose Political Momentum!”
Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite – the union that has a long-standing partnership with Labour – dropped a blunt line to Ed Milliband: “the time to act is now”. She’s not waving her hands in the air; she’s pointing a very serious finger at a policy that could sink worker support if left unbacked.
What Unite Isn’t Saying
While the union isn’t against net‑zero, it’s being crystal clear that reaching the 2050 target without serious investment in new jobs is a recipe for disaster. “We’ve warned time and again that rhetoric about a joined‑up industrial strategy must be matched with real cash and concrete action,” says Graham.
Her question remains: “What’s Labour waiting for?” She throws a warning at the political field – if the government fails to roll out the promised investments, “Labour can’t expect workers to hand over the green thumbs with a smile.”
Enter Tony Blair and the GMB
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair isn’t shy about voicing a different view. He’s warned the public that “limiting fossil fuels with net‑zero is doomed to fail”. Alongside him, the GMB union is calling Labour’s energy policy “bonkers,” and general secretary Gary Smith has called cutting investment in North Sea oil and gas “absolute madness.”
Political Backlash and Pragmatic Perspectives
Blair and his Institute confidently state that they support the Government’s 2050 net‑zero targets, but they live-don’t-lie about the financial sacrifices and lifestyle shifts that might push voters away from the Green agenda.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed acknowledges Blair’s input as “valid and important,” urging pragmatism – “We need to manage the transition so the economy and the people can keep moving forward.”
Conservative energy spokesman Andrew Bowie counters that no amount of “contrived backtracking” can conceal Tony Blair’s claim that Labour’s approach is already causing hardship for ordinary British people.
Bottom Line
Unite, the GMB, and other unions are standing firm: net‑zero must come with jobs and investment, otherwise the policy’s popularity will vanish like a bad meme in a few weeks. Act now, or split the Labour‑union alliance in scraps. For the rest of us, it’s a reminder that climate ambition and worker support aren’t mutually exclusive – they just need to be matched with enough pockets‑full of reality checks.
