Andy Burnham has said the UK must remain fully committed to reaching net zero by 2050, arguing that climate change is already affecting people across Britain. He linked the target to plans for community-led renewable energy projects, presenting them as a way to involve local people, reduce energy costs and strengthen confidence in the country’s future.

Burnham cited the UK’s hottest summer on record, including heatwaves, wildfires and disruption to hospitals and transport, as evidence that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. However, his government faces pressure over whether to approve the Jackdaw gasfield and Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, while a decision on Jackdaw has been delayed until later in the autumn.