Andy Burnham is visiting a hospital in Hertfordshire to discuss a £40m initiative designed to prevent vulnerable patients from needing hospital admission. The visit comes as the Commons remains in a mini November recess, leaving Westminster relatively quiet for a Monday.
Climate Policy Criticism
Burnham is expected to face questions regarding a Guardian report detailing government plans to potentially water down electric vehicle (EV) targets. The timing coincides with Burnham’s upcoming attendance at the COP climate crisis summit later this week.
Green party leader Zack Polanski criticized the potential move, pointing to recent extreme heat and scientific forecasts naming 2026 as a potential record-setting hot year. Polanski stated that the government is accommodating the car industry and abandoning rapid electrification plans, creating a poor record on climate issues.
Former Green leader Caroline Lucas also condemned the prospective decision as a severe setback. Lucas noted that altering EV targets immediately before COP31 would signal that the United Kingdom lacks seriousness regarding climate action.
The final decision regarding the electric vehicle targets has not yet been officially confirmed by the government.
