We will not repeat the mistakes of shutting down coal wells with North Sea oil, says Keir Starmer

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Keir Starmer said he would not repeat the mistakes that "decimated" mining communities in the 1980s when his government phased out new oil and gas drilling.

The Labor leader was told by a delegate at the GMB conference in Brighton that Labour's plan to stop allowing new fossil fuels 'poses a threat to Scottish jobs and energy security of the UK".

But Sir Keir has been urged to 'stand firm' by environmental groups who say the policy is crucial to tackling climate change.

Respondent To questions from shop stewards, the Labor leader was asked what he would say to workers when 'oil and gas jobs evaporate' and communities are 'decimated'.

Sir Keir said he understood the concerns and that Britain needed to 'seize the next generation of jobs in new nuclear, in renewables across the country' and plan for jobs replacement.

"What I will never let happen is a repeat of what happened in the coal mines. When an industry ended and no one foresaw the future, and that we are still living with the consequences. We cannot allow this to happen," he said.

Sir Keir said there was a 'race' between different economic blocs like the US and the EU and that "we have to be in this race".

Creating a publicly owned electricity generation company and changing public procurement rules would help the government to respond effectively, he said.

“We are going to take this opportunity to create these renewable energy jobs and I have estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of jobs to be had: 50,000 in Scotland,” he said.

"Because we don't want to repeat the mistake of saying you need to move, you need to leave, we don't need to come see you in your community, you can we can We won't repeat ever this.

"If we don't seize this opportunity, if we sit and wait without acting now on our plan for green prosperity, then I sincerely believe that future generations will never forgive us for having repeated the mistake that was made when the coal mines shut down."

Climate scientists, the International Energy Agency and the UN Secretary General say the gradual shutdown new oil and gas drilling is crucial to meeting the Paris Agreement target of limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Labour said it would not issue new licenses for the exploration of new fields to unions that represent fossil fuel workers - but has been welcomed by others.

We will not repeat the mistakes of shutting down coal wells with North Sea oil, says Keir Starmer
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Keir Starmer said he would not repeat the mistakes that "decimated" mining communities in the 1980s when his government phased out new oil and gas drilling.

The Labor leader was told by a delegate at the GMB conference in Brighton that Labour's plan to stop allowing new fossil fuels 'poses a threat to Scottish jobs and energy security of the UK".

But Sir Keir has been urged to 'stand firm' by environmental groups who say the policy is crucial to tackling climate change.

Respondent To questions from shop stewards, the Labor leader was asked what he would say to workers when 'oil and gas jobs evaporate' and communities are 'decimated'.

Sir Keir said he understood the concerns and that Britain needed to 'seize the next generation of jobs in new nuclear, in renewables across the country' and plan for jobs replacement.

"What I will never let happen is a repeat of what happened in the coal mines. When an industry ended and no one foresaw the future, and that we are still living with the consequences. We cannot allow this to happen," he said.

Sir Keir said there was a 'race' between different economic blocs like the US and the EU and that "we have to be in this race".

Creating a publicly owned electricity generation company and changing public procurement rules would help the government to respond effectively, he said.

“We are going to take this opportunity to create these renewable energy jobs and I have estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of jobs to be had: 50,000 in Scotland,” he said.

"Because we don't want to repeat the mistake of saying you need to move, you need to leave, we don't need to come see you in your community, you can we can We won't repeat ever this.

"If we don't seize this opportunity, if we sit and wait without acting now on our plan for green prosperity, then I sincerely believe that future generations will never forgive us for having repeated the mistake that was made when the coal mines shut down."

Climate scientists, the International Energy Agency and the UN Secretary General say the gradual shutdown new oil and gas drilling is crucial to meeting the Paris Agreement target of limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Labour said it would not issue new licenses for the exploration of new fields to unions that represent fossil fuel workers - but has been welcomed by others.

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