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Donald Trump's climate change denial means 'game over for the planet', claims Labour

Joe Watts
Political Editor
Wednesday 16 November 2016 14:38 EST
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Shadow business secretary Clive Lewis
Shadow business secretary Clive Lewis

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Labour will make the extraordinary claim that Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House could mean "game over for our planet", in the latest of the party’s outspoken attacks on the US President-elect.

Shadow business secretary Clive Lewis will give a speech in which he apparently suggests the new US leader’s denial of climate change could lead to the end of the world.

Mr Lewis will make the attack as he sets out a Labour industrial strategy that will boost the UK private sector with a new focus on promoting renewable energy.

His words come after Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said the President-elect should "grow up" over his treatment of immigrants in the US.

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Lewis was to say that the first plank of his party’s industrial strategy will commit a future Labour government to ensuring 60 per cent of our energy comes from renewable sources by 2030.

On climate change more broadly, he will then say: "There is a real danger that, without urgent action, the election of Donald Trump could mean ‘game over’ for our planet.

"It is time for Britain to show leadership on one of the biggest challenges confronting humanity today."

'Dangerous' climate change could arrive as early as 2050

Mr Trump has promised to cancel all US donations to UN programmes fighting global warming and to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which leading nations signed in April, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He has said that global warming is something China had invented to reduce the profitability of US companies.

The Labour leader last week criticised the President-elect’s stance on immigrants from Mexico and his "absurd and abusive" language towards Muslims.

Mr Corbyn described the "absolute anger and outrage" felt by his Mexican wife Laura Alvarez and her family at President-elect Trump’s proposals to build a wall at the US-Mexican border.

He told the BBC: "Donald Trump should grow up and recognise the American economy actually depends on migrant labour."

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