Green party leader Zack Polanski has warned that abandoning climate commitments would drive Labour into political obscurity. He spoke as searing heat swept the UK for the second time this year.
Polanski urged Andy Burnham — widely tipped to become the next prime minister — to be bold on climate justice. Any dilution of the party's pledges, he said, would carry dire electoral consequences.
Trade union leaders also pushed back against calls for more North Sea drilling, arguing it would not benefit British workers. The intervention deepens the debate within Labour and the broader union movement over environmental policy.
The warnings come amid internal party discussions about whether Burnham might allow further fossil fuel extraction. Critics say any such move would undermine the UK's net zero targets and alienate climate-focused voters.
Polanski's remarks signal growing pressure on Labour from the left. The party faces a delicate balancing act between green ambition and energy security concerns.