Net Zero 'madness destroying jobs' as union boss turns on Labour and likens party to Margaret Thatcher's Tories

Labour's push for Net Zero has been blamed for “destroying” British jobs by the head of one of the largest Labour-supporting trade unions.Gary Smith, general secretary of the GMB union, compared Sir Keir Starmer's premiership to Margaret Thatcher's, saying energy policies were “closing factories, hitting investment and hitting jobs”.The Union boss has once again hit out at plans to phase out North Sea oil and gas in a direct attack on Ed Miliband's suggestion that the economy will benefit by turning to clean energy.He branded the suggestion as “utter nonsense and described the policies impact as shameful.Mr Smith told the Radio Times: “Sacking thousands of workers who currently work in the North Sea is economic madness.The impact they’re having is shameful. It’s more akin to Thatcher and what she did to Middlesbrough in the 1980s.“We’re losing jobs in places like Aberdeen. But remember, many oil and gas workers come from areas like the northeast of England too. Putting these people out of work, stopping future generations going to work in decent, well paid, unionised jobs, that’s just crazy.FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAYMel Stride hits back at Donald Trump weighing up a proposal to acquire the Chagos IslandsSir Mel Stride has responded to reports that Donald Trump is weighing a proposal to acquire the Chagos Islands and effectively crush Keir Starmer's surrender plan.American officials have prepared a plan that would see Washington negotiate its own arrangement to secure control of Diego Garcia, the vital military installation in the Indian Ocean archipelago.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has personally brought the concept to President Trump's attention, though sources indicate it does not currently represent the White House's preferred course of action.The Shadow Chancellor told GB News: I am very pleased that the Conservative Party applied pressure on this Chagos situation, such that we haven't ended up in a position where we're actually paying Mauritius £30 billion for the privilege of continuing to have access to Diego Garcia going forward.But the critical thing in terms of our defensive posture will be that we maintain access to Diego Garcia going forward for many years to come.He added: I think we have to see what it is the Americans are suggesting here... one of the most important things is that our country needs to make sure that it has access to that base of Diego Garcia to protect our national interests.Nearly 200 criminals released from prison by mistake as Labour slammed for leaving 98 of victims in darkNearly 200 criminals were released from prison by mistake between April last year to March as Labour has been slammed for leaving 98 per cent of victims in the dark.Only three victims involved in the cases of 179 mistakenly released prisoners were notified of the Prison Services's error.An official report published in April showed there were 179 cases of inmates being let go early.Of the 179, there were 14 victims who were on the Probation Service's Victim Contact Scheme, which gives those impacted by a serious and violent crime the right to receive information about the offender, but only three were given notice of the mistake, the Daily Mail reports.Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said Labour had broken the trust victims place in the criminal justice system.He said: David Lammy offered what he called an unequivocal apology for his erroneous release scandal. It was not worth the paper it was written on.Victims of crime place their trust in the system to treat them with basic dignity, to tell them, at minimum, when the person who wronged them has been let out of prison by accident. Labour have broken that trust.READ THE FULL STORY HERELabour MP demands Keir Starmer SACK Ed Miliband as he brands Net Zero targets 'insane'A Labour MP has demanded Sir Keir Starmer sacks Ed Miliband as he branded latest Net Zero targets as insane.On Tuesday, the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz) announced the Government aims to reduce carbon emissions by 87 per cent between 2038 and 2042.The announcement has drawn fierce criticism from those who argue it accelerates deindustrialisation at the worst possible time for British energy security.Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Middleton South, called for the Energy Secretary’s sacking after calling it insane, because the Government is not issuing more licences for gas and exploration in the North Sea to generate jobs.He told GB News: Whilst further capitalisation of our own gas and oil fields will have a marginal impact on price, it will generate UK jobs. We are generating jobs in Norway and Qatar at the expense of our own. The policy, quite frankly, is insane.GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL STORY HEREKeir Starmer refuses to exchange 'UK's worst stalker' for British couple jailed in IranKeir Starmer has refused to exchange a man dubbed Britain's worst stalker for a British couple jailed in Iran.No10 pushed back at suggestions of a prisoner exchange after the family of British couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman appealed to the Government.Iranian authorities had proposed Richard Jan - a biochemist described as the country's worst stalker - in exchange for the Foremans' in conversations with the Government and the Foreman's family.A Government spokesman, however, has robustly denied the claims.READ THE FULL STORY HEREKeir Starmer set to impose internet restrictionsSir Keir Starmer is set to impose internet restrictions on millions of Britons with a social media ban on under-16s.The Prime Minister is expected to pursue an Australian-plus model following a three-month consultation on Australia's social media ban, combining restrictions on high-risk platforms for under-16s with curbs on addictive features and tougher age-verification checks.Today's anticipated announcement will mark the first phase of the crackdown, requiring technology firms to introduce software that prevents children from taking, storing or sharing intimate images.Companies including Google and Apple could face fines, restrictions on device sales to minors or criminal penalties if they fail to comply within 90 days.READ THE FULL STORY HEREOur Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter