Rachel Reeves insisted she will still be the UK’s “first green chancellor” despite tearing up Labour’s flagship £28 billion investment pledge. 

Ms Reeves originally made the statement during her speech at Labour Party conference in 2021. 

She was challenged this morning on whether it would still be possible to claim such a title given she and Sir Keir Starmer have radically downgraded the party’s green investment plans. 

She told BBC Breakfast: “I am absolutely going to be the first green chancellor.” 

Ms Reeves was challenged and was told that she could not have it “both ways” given the £28 billion figure has now been ditched. 

She replied: “I am not going to make any apologies for making sure that our plans are consistent with the fiscal rules that I have set out, that they are responsible and achievable.

“And the truth is no one foresaw the damage that the Conservatives were going to do with the mini-Budget which crashed the economy, sent interest rates soaring…” 

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