Its the anti net-zero, anti-woke Tony Blair how was this man ever considered a progressive? | Zoe Williams
GuardianMAY 1
Former PM Blair Backs Down on Net Zero Criticism
Above: Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and now-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer discuss politics during the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change's Future of Britain Conference in central London on July 18, 2023. Image copyright: Stefan Rousseau/Contributor/PA Images via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Blair's intervention on net zero is less bold realism than tired cynicism. The portrayal of climate action as "irrational" still plays into the hands of those with no plan at all. Instead of backing real leadership to make net zero fair and fast, Blair has fueled inertia cloaked as pragmatism. Climate change won’t wait for tech fantasies or political triangulation — it demands action now.
Right narrative
For once Tony Blair is right — current net zero plans are unrealistic and politically damaging. Forcing costly and ideologically driven lifestyle changes on voters while global emissions rise elsewhere is a strategy doomed to fail. Instead of phasing out fossil fuels now, we should invest in innovation — like nuclear and carbon capture — that offers real, long-term solutions without punishing the public.