Lack of green spending
group Greenpeace of figures from the International Energy Agency, also shows that the UK is spending far less per capita than its European neighbours.
The UK spent around $500 per person over the three-year period, while France spent $950, Germany $1115 and Italy $1880.
The SNP’s energy spokesperson at Westminster, Dave Doogan, said: “Scotland has the potential to be a European green energy economic powerhouse, but that is being threatened by Westminster’s refusal to invest in renewables.
“We have enormous expertise and infrastructure that is already showing what we can achieve with the proper backing – but that government investment has to come to allow Scotland to realise its unique green growth opportunity.
“Compared to the SNP Scottish Government’s approach that has seen hundreds of millions invested in securing a just transition and developing our green economy, the Tories have given up just as Labour have thrown their own £28bn proposals in the bin.”
Labour had pledged to invest £28bn a year in green energy projects – a policy which experts at the London School of Economics had said would rapidly boost the economy and attract about twice as much incoming investment from the private sector.
However, Starmer’s party has ended its commitment to the flagship green energy policy, instead pledging to spend closer to £4.7bn a year – the same amount as Scotland alone is projected to spend in 2024-25.
Doogan went on: “From the EU to US, countries across the world are piling money into the green goldrush, yet far from even trying to compete, the UK has barely entered the race.”
KEIR Starmer’s reputation for untrustworthiness has reached new heights, according to the latest polling.
YouGov has tracked the public’s perception of the Labour leader’s trustworthiness since he took office in April 2020.
According to the polling firm, 47% of people viewed him as untrustworthy – the highest level since he became Labour leader.
That is compared with just 25% of people who say he is trustworthy. The percentage of people who think Starmer is untrustworthy has remained above 40% since May 2023.
Voters also view Starmer as indecisive, according to YouGov. According to another tracker, the Labour leader is seen as indecisive by 52% of people. Just 22% think he is decisive.
And researchers at YouGov have also discovered the public think that Starmer has fumbled Labour’s response to the Gaza crisis.
Just 14% of Britons view Starmer as having handled Labour’s response to Gaza well – compared with 52% who say he has handled it badly.
Starmer is seen as having managed the issue poorly by those on all sides of the conflict: 67% of those who sympathise primarily with the Palestinians say so, as do 69% of those who sympathise most with the Israelis, and 53% of those who sympathise with both sides equally, according to YouGov.
Overall, the public take a similar view to Rishi Sunak’s handling of the crisis, with 52% saying he has responded badly.
Starmer’s perceived lack of trustworthiness and indecisiveness will be key attack points against Labour in the upcoming General Election.
Both the SNP and the Conservatives have criticised Starmer for his frequent U-turns.
He also came under fire after initially refusing to suspend Labour’s candidate in the Rochdale by-election who was accused of being antisemitic, despite Starmer frequently boasting of having rooted out anti-Jewish prejudice from his party.