ED Miliband makes a return to the shadow cabinet after being announced as the new shadow energy secretary.
The former Labour leader previously held the role of energy secretary between 2008-2010, before becoming the shadow energy secretary between May and September 2010.
Mr Miliband commented on his new position: “I am looking forward to serving in Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Business and Energy Secretary alongside such a talented team.
“We must all focus on playing our part on in the country’s response to coronavirus, working with the government to help the many businesses and workers who have been so badly hit and need their voice heard.
“As Keir has said, we cannot go back to business as usual after this crisis.
“We will need to reshape our economy, addressing the insecurity many millions of workers face.
“We must also return to climate change as the unavoidable long-term issue of our time, including with a recovery based on providing economic justice through a Green New Deal.”
The Green New Deal is a ten-year national action plan to tackle climate breakdown in a way that ‘improves peoples’ lives and builds a fairer, more democratic society and economy.’
Principles of the Green New Deal are:
- Totally decarbonise the economy of the United Kingdom in a way that ‘enhances the lives of ordinary people, workers and communities and works to eliminate social and economic inequality.’
- Create ‘millions of new well-paid, secure, unionised jobs’ across the country.
- Transform our economy so the financial system ‘serves the needs of people and planet, with an accountable and democratic government in the driving seat.’
- Protect and restore vital habitats and carbon sinks, including forests and wild areas, and ensure the provision of clean water, air, green spaces and a healthy environment.
- Promote global justice by supporting all people and countries to decarbonise quickly and fairly, in line with timeframes set out by science.
