Labour MPs warn party has grown too soft on the climate crisis
After a summer of record heat, drought and wildfires in Britain, some Labour MPs warn the government isn't making a strong enough case for climate action, even as public concern over the crisis remains high.
Britain has endured a summer of record-breaking wildfires, extreme heat and drought, with almost 2,900 heat-related deaths recorded in England during May and June alone. Recent fires destroyed homes in the West Midlands, while deadly wildfires also swept across parts of Europe.
Despite these visible impacts, several Labour MPs say the government has failed to mount a strong political case for climate action or renew its defence of net zero. MP Jeevun Sandher argues climate could become a key electoral dividing line, since Labour's own voters remain firmly supportive of net zero even as support erodes on the right. Another MP said the party isn't prepared for its shifting voter base and is trying to appease both climate-focused supporters and those wary of Reform UK.
Pressure from the right was visible this week when Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, urged people to enjoy warmer weather and played down the seriousness of the climate crisis, drawing criticism from medical experts and politicians. Conservative shadow minister Claire Coutinho called for prioritising cheaper electricity over net zero targets, favouring nuclear and gas.
Polling suggests the public is less divided than the political debate implies: 67% of Britons worry about unbearably hot weather becoming more frequent, and 86% believe climate change bears at least some responsibility for recent heatwaves. Still, support for the UK's net zero target has dropped from 68% in 2024 to 45% today, while opposition has nearly doubled.
Government officials reject claims of backsliding on net zero, citing investment in clean energy, nuclear power, electric vehicles and heat pumps, and a pledge against new oil and gas licences. Green party leader Zack Polanski and the Liberal Democrats have both pushed for climate to be given greater political priority.
