Wednesday evening news briefing: The real cost of Labour’s net zero plans

27/06/2024

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Good evening. Here’s the latest from today.

Reaching Labour’s target for decarbonising the economy will cost “hundreds of billions” of pounds, a shadow minister has disclosed in a recording obtained by The Telegraph.

Elsewhere, Phil Foden has left the England camp to return home and attend the birth of his third child.

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Labour’s net zero plans will cost ‘hundreds of billions’, leaked audio reveals

Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said the £28 billion per year originally allocated to Labour’s green investment plan was a “tiny” amount.

He said the fact that Sir Keir Starmer had downgraded his investment plans from £28 billion to £4.7 billion “made it sound as if we basically junked the whole thing but we definitely haven’t” – read the full story here.

Meanwhile, a new poll has predicted that Reform UK will win 18 seats at the general election, the highest forecast for the party to date – follow the latest here.

Debate preview: The final showdown

By Dominic Penna, Political Correspondent

It is the final showdown between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer tonight in Nottingham, and there is a strong sense that, much like in 1997 and 2001, it is all over bar the shouting.

And yet Sunak was widely seen to have outperformed Starmer in the first debate last month, although at that point the Prime Minister had yet to endure the triple blow of the D-Day row, the rise of Reform and ‘gamblegate’.

He still has it all to do if he is to reverse Tory fortunes and stop Labour from what may well be a bigger majority than that enjoyed by Sir Tony Blair. But Sunak has surprised before – and with Starmer struggling to think on his feet at various points on the campaign trail, tonight might just see him do so again.

Phil Foden leaves England camp at Euro 2024 for birth of third child

Phil Foden, the Manchester City forward, started all three of of England's group games at the European Championship - Getty Images/Jean Catuffe

The Manchester City forward has started all three of England’s games at the European Championship including Tuesday’s goalless draw with Slovenia but is now flying back home, the Football Association has confirmed.

Foden is expected to be back for the weekend but may miss a period of the preparations for the weekend fixture – read more.

Evening Briefing: Today’s essential headlines

CPS | The driver of a Land Rover that ploughed into a school in Wimbledon, killing two eight-year-old girls, will face no criminal charges as she had an epileptic seizure at the wheel.

The 11 things about this photo that spoke to a nation of angry England fans

England's woeful draw was summed up by 11 reactions in one photo

Sometimes a picture captures the mood of a country perfectly, and such an image was taken shortly after tepid draw with Slovenia.

Comment and analysis

Feature of the day

‘The fee was hilarious’: what it really pays to headline Glastonbury

No money, no problem: Elton John headlining the Pyramid Stage last year - Jim Dyson/Redferns

Taylor Swift is spending much of the summer in Britain, but she isn’t she playing its biggest music festival – discover why.

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