Greenpeace responds to the Budget

Responding to the Budget, Ami McCarthy, Head of Politics at Greenpeace UK, said: 

“This was the Chancellor’s first big test on climate and nature. While there is still much work to be done, Rachel Reeves has taken a step towards her one-time ambition of being the ‘first green Chancellor’.

“Changing the fiscal rules is a common sense step that will allow us to make the long-overdue investment the country drastically needs. The Chancellor must use the additional funds to go further and faster on green measures that will boost the economy, and tackle the climate and cost of living crises at the same time, like home insulation, public transport, and jobs in industries of the future.

“Progressive tax measures are welcome, but the Chancellor should go much further to tax the super-rich and corporate polluters. Making them pay their fair share would raise hundreds of billions for communities suffering from climate impacts at home and abroad.

“But if the reports about inflicting cuts on Defra are true, this budget would be giving with one hand and taking away with the other on climate and nature. Further cuts would be completely unconscionable when sewage is still being pumped into our rivers and seas, homes and livelihoods face growing risks from flooding, and our wildlife is suffering so much. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and restoring nature is vital to lowering emissions – we need bold action from the government to turn this around.”