Sir Chris Bryant superbly dispatched questions from Camilla Tominey on GB News as Labour comes under scrutiny over its expected manifesto pledges.
The shadow digital minister insisted that Labour is “not scaling back” on its pledge to invest £28 billion annually into green projects in a bid to kickstart economic growth.
Senior Labour figures have been dogged by questions about its so-called green prosperity plan in recent months following frequent suggestions in the press that it could be scrapped or watered down.
The policy has attracted Conservative attacks, with the governing party arguing it is unaffordable and will lead to tax rises.
But Bryant, a shadow digital minister, said “we intend to deliver” on the commitment if the party wins the next general election, which is expected in the autumn.
He refused to set out a timeframe for when a future Labour government would start meeting the investment sum, however.
The Opposition frontbencher said: “On the £28 billion, we are not scaling back. We intend to deliver that.
“I cannot tell you on what day of what week we will deliver that.
“Just as, if you had (Chancellor) Jeremy Hunt in the studio now, he would not be able to tell you what the tax rates are going to be at the end of this year, let alone in 2028 or 2029.
“So we are being very straight with people. We are saying, ‘This is our ambition, this is what we want to do, this is what we intend to do, and we intend to do it as fast as we can’.”
Watch the clip in full below:
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