'It would empower and embolden the anti-net zero, flat-earth brigade across the world'
Shadow Energy and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has labelled the Conservative London mayoral election candidate a “flat earther” in a scathing attack on her approach to climate change.
Miliband accused Susan Hall of being a “climate denier and delayer”, as the Tory candidate has previously called for the UK government to delay its 2050 net zero target and has promoted climate science denial articles on social media.
Speaking to reporters Miliband said: “It would be a global embarrassment for Britain if Susan Hall was elected as the mayor of London. It would empower and embolden the anti-net zero, flat-earth brigade across the world.”
When asked if he was calling Susan Hall a flat-earther Miliband replied “I absolutely am”.
“When you share on social media climate denial, people questioning whether climate change is man-made that makes you a climate denier, that makes you a flat-earther,” Miliband said.
“This is a fringe conspiracy theory and I’m afraid it says a lot about where the Conservative party is going in this country.”
The current Mayor of London Sadiq Khan recently accused his election rival of being “Trumpian” in her approach to climate change, calling her a “proud anti-green candidate”.
Hall previously shared an article by the Daily Sceptic which dismissed the role of man-made greenhouse gas emissions on climate change, in a since deleted social media post. It led critics to label her views on climate change as “extremely concerning”.
She has backed the reintroduction of fracking and shared another article from Spiked Online in 2020 which expressed doubt over the extent of the climate breakdown, while on another occasion she wrote on X (formerly Twitter) “net zero needs to be delayed and shale gas sought” in response to an article on dropping the ‘dash the net zero’.
Hitting back at Miliband’s claim, a statement from a Tory candidate spokesperson said: “These Trump tactics from Sadiq Khan’s campaign are getting more and more desperate.
“On May 2, Londoners will get the chance to vote out the Sadiq-earther at City Hall, who seems to believe that the earth revolves around himself.”
(Image credit: YouTube screenshot)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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