Clean air is a silent (and locally led) success - borne from green spaces, active transport, action against polluting vehicles. Labour can and should own the win. An incredibly good bit of work and polling by our programme manager @ralphpalmer.bsky.social, supported by @goodgrowthfdn.bsky.social.

Weird thing is most testing will show you that one of the most vote losing positions Labour could adopt is explicit anti-Net Zero signalling. This is because climate still disproportionately matters to Lab/Green voters while Lab/Reform voters don’t care either way...

Improving air quality is a central piece of the puzzle for talking to people about their local communities, their neighbourhoods and their high streets. When government talks to the public about making the environment better, it has to (literally) meet people where they live.

Some great findings in our new report very relevant for an incoming Government. Labour are already doing some great things on air quality but are failing to tell a compelling narrative and are often leaving councillors who are doing the right thing exposed at the local level.

🆕 Delighted to publish something I've been working on - @lcefuk.bsky.social new report, Breathe Easy, making the political case for Labour to take bold action on air pollution, based on polling we commissioned from @goodgrowthfdn.bsky.social.

📣 NEW LCEF REPORT + POLLING LAUNCH📣 Our new report, Breathe Easy, shows how Labour can build a strong political offer on clean air, based on polling commissioned from @goodgrowthfdn.bsky.social.

It is mad that we have, somehow, allowed net zero - a policy common to all major parties under 5 years ago and supported by a majority of the public - to become a synoym for mad radicalism. It is doubly mad that we've allowed this to happen during the hottest summer on record.

London has shown what is possible when a major city refuses to accept dirty air as inevitable. The world's largest clean air zone of its kind, cleaner buses and bold borough-level action have together cut harmful pollutants far faster than the experts predicted.

Why is the ZEV Mandate so important to stopping climate change? 📺️ Hear from our Transport Programme Manager @ralphpalmer.bsky.social on why the ZEV Mandate is one of our best tools for climate action, allowing businesses to invest with certainty and consumers to buy cheaply.

I love this: people say the UK isn’t cohesive or kind or that culture is only something for certain people. I am of the belief we are the funniest nation on earth, and that is the shared culture and joy that I know and love, and that is wholly inclusive. Grateful to Sof for articulating as always.

So I wrote about it again lads. See what you think. It's just my view of the Britain I think exists. Would love to know yours, and what you think our v specific silly British things are – because there were simply too many good ones to list www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I found this thread very interesting – but I think there is a risk that we become too ‘doomster’ about wind (vs solar.) So, a thread of my own! Spanish renewable energy is cheap partially because the country is very suitable for solar, yes, but they also have a lot of onshore wind…

BREAKING: Burnham signals shift on Labour's Gaza stance. Very interesting story by @pippacrerar.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Really pleased to say that LCEF is launching a new blog series over the summer on transport. If you have a pitch on anything to do with how the UK & this Labour Government can make a success of transport decarbonisation, we'd love to hear from you! 📩 Email your pitches to: [email protected]

EXC - The £5m gift to Nigel Farage by a cryptocurrency billionaire was reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers who were concerned it may have been laundered money, the Guardian can reveal. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Why should the Burnham government prioritise targeted grid upgrades in its first 100 days? How would this save consumers money, revitalise our industries and lead to new and innovative growth? And what are constraint costs anyhow? 👇

Some incredibly good EV news from June. Labour has made a clear case for electrification to not only be at the heart of its world-leading approach to climate action, but also to bolster energy security and get the UK off volatile oil and gas markets. EVs will play a critical role in this.

The flip-flopping on EV policy is starting to have a real impact on investment, including into the charging network. Setting clear targets & sticking to them is critical for business & investment certainty. It's important the the Govt recognise this. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Great to see another *mega* month of EV sales, making up 30% of all new cars in June & 1/4 for H1 2026. According to @newautomotive.org, this means that the car industry is now ahead of the minimum sales share needed to hit this year's ZEV mandate target. www.thetimes.com/business/com...

All of us at LCEF are devastated to hear of the death of Cllr Shanika Mahendran who previously headed up our air quality and transport programme and was a vital member of our advisory group.

Super interesting thread that - among many other findings - highlights the potential cut through that a better offer on buses (i.e. £1 bus fares) could have, with it coming top of all policy ideas for boosting Labour's vote share.

This latest heatwave has shown us the existential consequences from climate change, and this Carbon Budget vote was an important step in meeting that challenge. Hear from @steveracemp.bsky.social, @alistrathern.bsky.social and @janetdaby.bsky.social on why it's crucial to back the targets 👇️

'Climate action can be one of our strongest electoral assets, helping unite the broad coalition required to win a second term. But only if we get the messaging right' - @lukemurphy.bsky.social for @newstatesman1913.bsky.social www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/20...

"This week’s heatwave is a stark reminder of what is at stake. Climate change is no longer a distant threat sometime in the future; it is here now, affecting lives, livelihoods and public services across our country, and especially in London." 💬 @fleuranderson.bsky.social

The Committee warmly welcome Parliament’s decision to pass the Seventh Carbon Budget into law this evening. This sets a legally binding target of around 87% emissions reduction for 2038–42, in line with our advice. Response from our Chair ⬇️ www.theccc.org.uk/2026/06/24/r...

The CCC's report makes crystal clear the importance of the Government standing firm on the EV transition & ZEV mandate. Electrification is critical to protecting households and businesses from volatile fossil fuel prices & cutting emissions; EVs must be at the absolute heart of that.

UK's outgoing PM Keir Starmer tells parliament that climate change is "one of the most significant challenges of our time" and says it is a "shame" that the Conservatives have broken the cross-party consensus "in order to chase Reform votes"

It tells you everything you need to know about Kemi Badneoch and Nigel Farage that as London schools, hospitals and transport networks all buckle under extreme record-breaking temperatures, they gather with fossil fuel lobbyists, climate deniers and the far-right to demand an end to Net Zero

There were those who doubted us, but a new independent report shows major reductions in air pollution in our city are linked to an estimated 40% fewer annual premature deaths.

The evidence keeps on mounting to vindicate the Sadiq Khan's leadership on clean air: ULEZ is saving lives. @london.gov.uk www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Why this extreme weather event should be a call to arms for climate action - @alistrathern.bsky.social for Politics Home ⬇️ www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

It’s hot. Not nice aperol in the sun hot but hide under a rock and hope hot In the last heatwave I got a telling off from some fellow climate people for saying, for the sake of the transition, we need to find ways to protect people now @arguablymag.bsky.social gave me the chance to write it up

For London Climate Action Week, LCEF is meeting London MPs to talk all things London and climate. First up, we chatted to @umakumaran.bsky.social in Stratford and Bow about the example London is setting on green spaces, and on retrofitting our homes and public buildings.

🚨 New research by us! 📣 Most British drivers don't know how dangerous SUVs are to other road users, but adding information to SUV marketing materials seems to do almost nothing to change people's plans to buy SUVs Here's a 🧵 on why harder action is going to be needed 1/10

It is extremely important that Labour understands that the movement of voters between Lab and Ref was not the crucial factor, it was consolidation of the anti-Ref vote and Lab voters turning out in droves. Otherwise Burnham will make the same mistakes as Starmer in targeting only one set of voters.

A quick explainer video by yours truly on why the ZEV mandate is critical for climate, energy security, costs & business certainty, & should not be watered down.

Watering down the ZEV mandate would be completely at odds with the leadership this Govt has shown on energy security & climate change, & its focus on lowering household living costs. The Govt has made a clear case for electrification to tackle these issues; EVs must be at the heart of its approach.

“The charging sector has ploughed billions into putting chargers in the ground on the basis of this policy, ahead of profitability. This government said it would not flip-flop like the previous did. To move the goalposts again would be exactly that." Spot on by Vicky Read at Charge UK.

Watering down the ZEV mandate would be completely at odds with the leadership this Govt has shown on energy security & climate change, & its focus on lowering household living costs. The Govt has made a clear case for electrification to tackle these issues; EVs must be at the heart of its approach.

Incredible - dramatic improvements in air quality in London are linked to a measurable impact on Londoners' health: 9.3% drop in heart-related emergency admissions 5.1% drop in hospital admissions of all illnesses and health conditions Cleaning up our air protects our future.

As expected, the Mayor of @london.gov.uk has been continually proven right on the bold leadership he's shown on air pollution in London. The achievements have been remarkable & should be widely celebrated, not just in London but across the Labour Party, movement & the country.

It's great to see the Government's new Cycling & Walking Investment Strategy, a bold & ambitious plan to improve public health through more physical activity & cleaner air, boost local economies & help people save money on travel costs. www.gov.uk/government/n...

UK food prices keep rising - what's driving that, and why does it matter? @alexmackaness.bsky.social is here explaining why once-occasional disruptions to food prices are now a near-constant feature of the system. 👇️ You can read more about this in our food security series - linked below.

New calculations show how UK energy security would suffer if there's a weakening of the electric vehicle mandate, as car manufacturers propose Maintaining mandate nearly halves oil use by 2040 Even modest weakening means 28mn tonnes more cumulative consumption green-alliance.org.uk/briefing/oil...

Exclusive: first govt plan for cycling and walking in England since the Johnson era contains some actual targets - including that 60% of all pupils walk/cycle/wheel to school by 2035. Transport sec Heidi Alexander says a lot of the push is based on public health. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Important to note that, despite SMMT as per putting a negative spin on a third consecutive month of very strong EV sales, this ignores the flexibilities in the ZEV mandate *that they lobbied for*. The headline target is 33%, but substantial flexibilities mean the real target is much lower (~25%).

A double good auto news story in the UK. As the news broke that EV sales in May are up 31% from last year, details of an agreement between Nissan and Chery to build cars in Sunderland have emerged; a move that will secure jobs at our biggest car factory. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

BREAKING: UK govt is targeting 87% cut in emissions by 2040 under the 7th "carbon budget" It says meeting this target will boost energy security, lower bills, create jobs and growth, improve quality of life – and tackle the "climate crisis"

Blair may not think he's a "climate denier" but he is essentially reading from a list of climate denier talking points to make his case for abandoning net-zero.

Somewhat incredibly, Tony Blair has chosen the week that the UK's temperature record for May has been smashed by more than 2C to reiterate his hot take on net-zero Job done, though, as all the UK media is now leading with him saying "drill, baby, drill" rather than the exceptionally extreme weather