For Labour to win next year, green policies are key

Labour shouldn’t underestimate the importance of environmentalism to securing victory in 2015 and fulfilling Ed Miliband’s vision.

The Lib Dems were seen as strong on green issues in 2010 and many switchers will still see green issues as a priority. Likewise, the European elections showed there is a small but significant progressive vote for the Green Party at present. In tight battles like Norwich South, Bristol West and Cambridge these voters may be persuaded to vote Labour come 2015. Yet to secure these votes at a local level, so Labour need convincing rhetoric and ambitious policy proposals at a national level.

Many environmentally minded Labour Party figures I’ve spoken to are concerned that the ‘offer’ in 2015 won’t be progressive enough to confront the multiple and overlapping environmental crises coming down the track. Also, as the recent floods demonstrated, it’s always the poor, vulnerable and those without support that will bear the brunt of climate related disasters.

To address this, I’ve outlined three major policies that would help Ed Miliband to fulfil his ‘British promise’ to ensure the next generation would do better than us:

Large Scale Energy Efficiency: This is an obvious example of where ‘green’ and ‘red’ considerations meet. This would essentially include a drive would cut carbon, create jobs (of varying skill levels and not and just within the M25) and reduce household bills.

A serious commitment would be a target to retrofit half a million low income homes a year from 2015 to 2020 (EPC Band C standard). The funding could come from allocating existing carbon taxes, from general taxation or could come from allowing the Green Investment Bank to borrow. Whatever way it’s done, what better policy is there to help alleviate the so-called “cost of living crisis” and generate jobs in every constituency?

Public Ownership of the Railways: Innovation, enterprise and investment in rail has been stifled for too long because the system has been broken up and run primarily to make a profit. To maintain the current growth in passenger numbers and help to shift passengers from cars and planes onto railways we need to renationalise the railway system.

Only public ownership can allow us to provide an innovative and democratic railway that delivers the increased capacity, investment and lower costs we need.

Transforming the Treasury: The power of the Treasury over our civil service and larger political culture shouldn’t be underestimated. It controls both the purse strings and key levers of long term economic strategy. Labour should give the Treasury a priority objective, embedded at the very top of its business plan, to ensure UK economic and financial policy enhances wellbeing, delivering a low-carbon and resource-efficient UK economy, and rapidly ensuring the UK economy lives within its fair share of sustainable environmental limits

See Christine Berry’s fantastic piece on OurKingdom for more on this.

In the run up to 2015 Labour has to embed environmentalism throughout its policy offer. It’s the only way to tackle the “cost of living crisis”, protect the vulnerable and fulfil the ‘British promise’.

Joe Cox is Research Coordinator for Compass