Responding to briefings on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech on pension funds reform, Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay MP said: 

“Chancellor Rachel Reeves needs to quickly set out the details of her headline-grabbing plans to create mega-pension funds to ensure that they provide the investment we need to urgently transition our economy beyond fossil fuels, as well as offering members who rely on them full financial, environmental and ethical protections. 

“The legal changes being proposed are aimed at freeing up billions to invest in infrastructure. We need to ensure that this is directed towards the climate-resilient infrastructure we so urgently need, particularly renewable energy, the national grid, the electrification of our railways and nature restoration. 

“Many local authority pension schemes have developed sophisticated ethical policies aimed at protecting members’ money from being invested in environmentally harmful industries. The new megafunds must enshrine these existing policies as minimum standards. 

“If and when different schemes are brought together, legislation must ensure that merged schemes deliver stronger environmental and other ethical protections and are not dragged down into investments in climate-damaging infrastructure such as airport expansions or fossil fuel companies’ greenwashing schemes. 

“We will also be looking for security for all the pensioners who rely on these funds. We must remember that pension funds are essentially made up of people’s hard-earned wages deferred to retirement. We cannot afford to have a handful of so-called mega-funds that increase risks.” 

Reacting to Keir Starmer’s public address at COP29 where he announced a new climate target for the UK to reduce the country’s emissions by 81% by 2035 against 1990 levels, Green MP Ellie Chowns said: 

“The announcement of an 81% cut in emissions by 2035 is welcome – we need to remove fossil fuels from our economy as rapidly as possible.  

“However, the transition to clean energy needs to be matched by moves on energy reduction. We need a mass home insulation programme and large-scale investment in public transport and active travel. Instead, we have seen Labour downgrade the retrofitting of homes, fail to make solar panels on new builds mandatory, hike bus fares by 50% and offer only loose change for walking and cycling.  

“Keir Starmer says he will not tell people how to live their lives, but he can put in place policies to support us to make changes that reduce emissions, cut bills and improve our health and wellbeing. This must involve every government department being laser focused on achieving our climate targets.” 

Responding to the US elections, Green Party Co-Leader, Carla Denyer, said,

“A dangerous bigot, bully, and liar is once again set to become the leader of the most powerful country in the world. A climate change denier, a proud racist and misogynist, and a man who has sought to subvert elections and incite insurrection.

On this dark day, we stand in solidarity with all U.S. citizens who fear a convicted criminal and a fascist in the White House. And we stand with all those around the world who dreaded this moment and must now live with its consequences, including those in Gaza and Ukraine.

Together, those of us who believe in democracy must work together to overcome authoritarianism and the politics of hate.”

Greens call on chancellor to:  

• Raise taxes on the very wealthiest to help fund a better future for everyone  

• Avoid more austerity by another name 

Ahead of today’s Budget, co-leader Carla Denyer said: 

“We need to see Labour use this opportunity to make some bold decisions.  

“Fourteen years of Tory underinvestment in our NHS, our schools, care for our elderly loved ones have left our public services crumbling around us and in a state of crisis. We deserve better. We demand better. 

“It’s clear that the country just can’t afford more austerity under a different name. Labour campaigned on a manifesto of change – so now it’s time to deliver.  

“Real change that people will see around them in a tangible way – in the hospitals they visit when they’re ill, in their kids’ education, in affordable and reliable bus services to get around. 

“Real change is a political choice. The money to fund our public services is available. By taxing the very wealthiest a little more we can fund a better future for everyone.   

“Let’s see if Labour can deliver.”