Climate change scepticism is rising. Will Starmer hold firm or buckle?

"This week, the world's most powerful man claimed that climate change is a con job. Speaking at the UN general assembly, Donald Trump told global leaders including Keir Starmer that all of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people that have cost their countries fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success, the US president said."

"If you don't get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail. Fact-checking Donald Trump's false and misleading claims during his UN address video Five months ago, Starmer told an audience of world leaders and business executives, gathered in London, that Britain would go all out for a low-carbon future because it was in the DNA of my government."

"But now, the prime minister is facing bruising economic news and disastrous opinion polls. Banks, businesses and governments are taking Trump's stance as a cue to quietly (or loudly, in some cases) back away from their environmental promises. Reform UK uses net zero as one of its most powerful attack lines, which is lapped up by the rightwing press. Will Starmer hold firm, or will he buckle? There are tests of his resolve in the months ahead as far-reaching policy decisions loom."

Donald Trump publicly denounced climate change as a "con job," asserting UN predictions were wrong and costly to countries. He warned nations that adherence to green policies would lead to failure. Keir Starmer previously pledged a strong low-carbon agenda, but now faces poor polls and economic challenges. Banks, businesses and some governments are retreating from environmental commitments, while Reform UK attacks net zero politically. Immediate tests include Gatwick runway approval concerns, a North Sea strategy, allocation of £13.2bn for home insulation, wind contract awards, airport expansion details, new homebuilding standards and a legal deadline to publish an overarching policy framework by 29 October.

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