Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the ￡28bn pledge has been ripped up (Image: GETTY)

       Ed Miliband has been left red-faced over an old tweet insisting Labour would stand by its flagship ￡28 billion green spending pledge.

       Sir Keir Starmer yesterday confirmed the financial promise, first made in September 2021, would be dropped in his biggest U-turn to date.

       But a former tweet by Mr Miliband, who is shadow energy secretary, insisting Labour would not "back down" on the policy has resurfaced.

       In the post on social media platform X in June 2023, the Labour frontbencher said: "Some people don’t want Britain to borrow to invest in the green economy. They want us to back down.

       Powered By

       00:00/12:38

       10

       10

       Top 10 Celebrity Interviews That Didn't Age Well

       Share

       Next

       Stay

       "But Keir, Rachel and I will never let that happen. Britain needs this ￡28bn a year plan and that is what we are committed to."

       Trending

       Retweeting the post following the U-turn, Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "This did not age well… I’m wondering if Keir and Rachel kept him in the dark, or did they tell him they were going to hang him out to dry.

       "U-turn after U-turn, flip-flop after flip-flop. Starmer hasn’t got a plan. He’s making it up as he goes along."

       Green Party MP Caroline Lucas also shared the tweet and added: "Ouch."

       Veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil did the same and wrote: "Oops!"

       The post was also retweeted by the official Conservatives account with the caption: "Anyone spoken to Ed today?"

       And Tory MP Mark Jenkinson mocked the tweet with a series of flip-flop and rolling on the floor laughing emojis.

       Sir Keir on Thursday confirmed the figure would be dramatically slashed as he blamed the Tories for the economic situation.

       But he insisted the ambitions behind Labour's flagship green prosperity plan remain the same.

       DON'T MISS

       Powered by

       Starmer's latest ￡28b U-turn fuels Tory attacks

       68 Comments

       Rachel Reeves squirms as BBC host skewers her over screeching Labour U-turn

       452 Comments

       Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'

       213 Comments

       Keir Starmer officially ditches Labour's flagship ￡28bn policy in humiliating U-turn

       551 Comments

       Keir Starmer's 15 biggest U-turns - from ￡28bn green pledge to Brexit and Lords reform

       266 Comments

       BBC Breakfast fans 'switch off' over Charlie Stayt's 'awful' habit during heated debate

       4 Comments

       ‘He's toast!' Reform taunts Rishi Sunak as PM fights for Brexiteer vote in by-elections

       1777 Comments

       The Tories have failed to build much of a future for young people like me

       2 Comments

       Keir Starmer risks becoming defined by his endless U-turns

       46 Comments

       Labour civil war brews over ￡28b pledge on green policies

       296 Comments

       Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden

       33 Comments

       Nigel Farage astonished at Tory MP's tax and migration claims in heated GB News clash

       711 Comments

       Jacob Rees-Mogg and Jeremy Hunt lose seats in 'Red Wall moment' countryside poll shock

       1109 Comments

       Rishi Sunak's much needed poll boost after Labour U-turns chaos offers Tories ray of hope

       128 Comments

       Michael Gove brands Keir Starmer ‘political jellyfish' as Tories unite over Labour U-turn

       821 Comments

       Keir Starmer told ‘no Labour seat is safe' as Tories make gain in council by-election

       1274 Comments

       Let's be relieved Keir Starmer's big ￡28bn green plan is dead

       18 Comments

       Labour's green plans will skyrocket to ￡35 billion a year

       72 Comments

       Sir Keir Starmer expected to confirm scaling back of ￡28bn green pledge

       160 Comments

       Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'

       348 Comments

       Starmer's latest ￡28b U-turn fuels Tory attacks

       68 Comments

       Rachel Reeves squirms as BBC host skewers her over screeching Labour U-turn

       452 Comments

       Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'

       213 Comments

       Keir Starmer officially ditches Labour's flagship ￡28bn policy in humiliating U-turn

       551 Comments

       Keir Starmer's 15 biggest U-turns - from ￡28bn green pledge to Brexit and Lords reform

       266 Comments

       BBC Breakfast fans 'switch off' over Charlie Stayt's 'awful' habit during heated debate

       4 Comments

       ‘He's toast!' Reform taunts Rishi Sunak as PM fights for Brexiteer vote in by-elections

       1777 Comments

       The Tories have failed to build much of a future for young people like me

       2 Comments

       Keir Starmer risks becoming defined by his endless U-turns

       46 Comments

       Labour civil war brews over ￡28b pledge on green policies

       296 Comments

       Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden

       33 Comments

       Nigel Farage astonished at Tory MP's tax and migration claims in heated GB News clash

       711 Comments

       Jacob Rees-Mogg and Jeremy Hunt lose seats in 'Red Wall moment' countryside poll shock

       1109 Comments

       Rishi Sunak's much needed poll boost after Labour U-turns chaos offers Tories ray of hope

       128 Comments

       Michael Gove brands Keir Starmer ‘political jellyfish' as Tories unite over Labour U-turn

       821 Comments

       Keir Starmer told ‘no Labour seat is safe' as Tories make gain in council by-election

       1274 Comments

       Let's be relieved Keir Starmer's big ￡28bn green plan is dead

       18 Comments

       Labour's green plans will skyrocket to ￡35 billion a year

       72 Comments

       Sir Keir Starmer expected to confirm scaling back of ￡28bn green pledge

       160 Comments

       Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'

       348 Comments

       Starmer's latest ￡28b U-turn fuels Tory attacks

       68 Comments

       Rachel Reeves squirms as BBC host skewers her over screeching Labour U-turn

       452 Comments

       Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'

       213 Comments

       Keir Starmer officially ditches Labour's flagship ￡28bn policy in humiliating U-turn

       551 Comments

       Keir Starmer's 15 biggest U-turns - from ￡28bn green pledge to Brexit and Lords reform

       266 Comments

       BBC Breakfast fans 'switch off' over Charlie Stayt's 'awful' habit during heated debate

       4 Comments

       ‘He's toast!' Reform taunts Rishi Sunak as PM fights for Brexiteer vote in by-elections

       1777 Comments

       It follows weeks of confusion over the policy, with the Labour leader backing the ￡28 billion spending target as recently as this week.

       Mr Miliband, who has spearheaded Labour's green policies, publicly rowed in behind Sir Keir after the U-turn.

       He said: "Labour will be fighting the election with a world-leading agenda on climate and energy with every single individual policy already announced now confirmed for the manifesto: Great British Energy, a National Wealth Fund, a Warm Homes Plan, a British Jobs Bonus, a Local Power Plan and no new oil and gas licences as well as our 2030 clean power mission."

       Related articles Keir Starmer ditches Labour's flagship ￡28bn pledge in humiliating U-turn Rishi Sunak's much needed poll boost after Labour U-turns chaos offers hope Rachel Reeves squirms as BBC host skewers her over screeching Labour U-turn

       Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading

       Start 30-day

       FREE trial