Ed Miliband, Labour’s Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, has confirmed that the party remains in favour of common ownership of key industries to facilitate a just transition to a green economy.
Asked whether the Labour leadership will support a motion going to conference that includes energy, water, transport brought into public ownership, Miliband told the BBC: “We’re in favour of common ownership, yeah.
“Keir Starmer said that. Look, there’s always management of these things at conferences, but yeah I can tell you we’re in favour of common ownership, absolutely.”
The Labour frontbencher added: “Wait for the conference, but Keir Starmer said in his leadership campaign he was in favour of public ownership in those areas. We haven’t changed that commitment.
“And why is that? Let me just explain this to you. Because in particular, in relation to natural monopolies, if we’re going to make this green transition, then public ownership is the right way to go. We don’t resile from those commitments.”
"We are in favour of common ownership absolutely… Starmer said this in the leadership campaign – we haven't changed that commitment."
– Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband on Labour supporting public ownership of energy, water and transport.@Ed_Miliband | #Newsnight pic.twitter.com/aBMHqjEXu6
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) September 13, 2021
More from LabourList
‘From student activist to Labour Party Chair: why our youth wings matter’
Assisted dying approved at third reading: How Labour MPs voted
Assisted dying vote tracker: How will Labour MPs vote at third reading?