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Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho has hit out at Labour after Starmer announced an ambitious new climate target for the UK at the COP29 summit.

The UK has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 81 per cent by 2035, compared to 1990 levels.

The Shadow Energy Secretary criticised Labour's climate plans on GB News today, pointing to a recent National Energy Systems Operator report on grid decarbonisation.

She said: "Last week the National Energy Systems Operator produced a report on Ed Miliband s flagship project.

"Decarbonize the grid by 2030. We could see in black and white that this is going to make the cost of electricity in this country more expensive. That is there in that report.

"The thing that I think is extremely worrying is that they've been promising the British electorate something very different. They said that they were going to cut bills by £300 by 2030. We can now all see in this report that that is simply just not true."

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Coutinho detailed several "fantastical assumptions" in the report that she claims make Labour's plans unrealistic.

These "assumptions" include an international gas price "40 per cent higher than current departmental forecasts" and a carbon price "almost double the current level."

She explained: "It means that you would have to vastly increase the amount of offshore wind and grid that you would build, with not a single planning delay and not moving prices at all.

"If you can achieve all of those things, then the system costs are roughly the same. So if you miss even just one of those fantastical assumptions, you are going to see a much greater increase in the cost of electricity.

"So I think it is simply wrong for ministers, for the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State Ed Miliband, to claim that the report showed that the cost of electricity would be cheaper under their approach."

In response to concerns about public impact, Starmer assured that the new climate targets would not burden British citizens.

"What we're not going to do, is start telling people how to live their lives. We're not going to start dictating to people what they do," the Prime Minister stated at the Baku press conference.

The new target specifically excludes international aviation and shipping emissions, demonstrating a focused approach to domestic emissions reduction.

Starmer emphasised that the UK would continue building on its reputation as a climate leader while ensuring the transition remains manageable for the public.

The commitment was unveiled by Prime Minister Starmer during his visit to Baku, where he was accompanied by Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

He said: "At this COP, I was pleased to announce that we're building on our reputation as a climate leader, with the UK's 2035 NDC target to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% on 1990 levels."

A Disney cruise ship in the theme of Mickey-Mouse has saved a family of four after their boat started to sink in the North Atlantic.

The boat, known as the Serenity, suffered a gasket failure in the escape hatch, leading it to intake water.

The Disney Treasure was only 80 miles away when a distress call was put out by the US Coast Guard.

Lt Commander Michael Rauch of the US Coast Guard said: “The sailors were doing everything they could but were in a dire situation.

“It was a married couple, their daughter and their cousin.”

The 1,115-foot-long themed cruise launched a small boat which collected all four passengers on board, with no injuries reported.

Captain of the Disney ship, Marco Nogra, said: “We are pleased that the Disney Treasure was able to provide aid to the boat passengers in peril.

“Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skillfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety.”

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The four sinking sailors were rescued only an hour after the distress call was made.

The cruise ship has not yet held its maiden voyage with passengers, with that scheduled for December 21.

Lt Commander Michael Rauch concluded: "They got a free ride back to the US, and on one of the best cruise ships in the world.

"I'm sure they're enjoying every minute of it."

A leading academic has told GB News that Justin Welby will leave a "sad legacy" following his resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr James Orr said the Church of England is going through "an intense period of self examination over cultural matters".

Speaking to GB News, he explained that the Anglican Communion had rejected what they saw as Welby's "accommodation of liberal values and same sex relations".

The Church of England is "no longer seen as the mothership of the Anglican Communion", Dr Orr added.

Justin Welby has announced his resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury amid mounting pressure over his handling of the John Smyth abuse case.

The 68-year-old church leader expressed "a profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England".

The resignation follows revelations about a "long-maintained conspiracy of silence" regarding the heinous abuses committed by John Smyth.

An investigation found Welby had failed to promptly inform police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps.

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In a statement, Welby confirmed he had sought "the gracious permission of His Majesty The King" before deciding to resign.

He acknowledged that when informed in 2013 about the abuse case, he "believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow".

"It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024," Welby said.

The exact timing of his departure will be determined after reviewing his constitutional and church responsibilities.

Dr Orr painted a broader picture of challenges facing the Church, telling GB News there will be "enormous ideological ruptures".

He suggested many would have preferred Welby resigned earlier over other matters.

"The position of Archbishop of Canterbury is no longer seen as first among equals within the Anglican Communion," Dr Orr noted.

He concluded that this diminished standing would be "as sad a legacy as the one for which he resigned for earlier today".

Pressure had been mounting on Welby to step down from his position as head of the Church of England.

A petition started by three members of the General Synod, the church's parliament, called for his resignation.

The petition, which demanded Welby's departure, gathered more than 10,000 signatures.

Some members of the General Synod stated that Welby had "lost the confidence of his clergy".

"I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England," Welby concluded in his statement.

In his attempt to bankrupt Britain before he’s kicked out (he's made a great start by bribing the unions and killing business) Sir Keir Starmer is currently receiving good advice towards this end from other net zero nuts at Cop29, renamed Flop29 because no other heavies have bothered to turn up.

China and India are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases by far, but Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi couldn’t make the trip because they were busy having a shave that day.

The fact that any country is there is because they all have their hands out (including the Taliban) hoping Starmer and his loyal chum Miliband, will agree to their $1trillion demand to pay for the damage caused, they say, by the West’s consumption of oil which they claim causes climate change.

And if we don’t agree they will continue to send their people across the Channel and will shake us down for the money in that away. Starmer has closed the door on reparations but has gone quiet on paying Africa for sunshine.

Quite why Starmer thought it worth his while to fly to Azerbaijan (geographical note, it’s between Russia and Iran) is beyond me and why any of the delegates would take any notice of his thoughts is equally baffling.

Thanks to our net zero drive and the money we are pouring in through wind farms, solar and the like, our electricity prices are currently the highest in the world by miles; literally four times that of the United States. How can we compete?

And it’s going to get worse. Give credit to Rishi Sunak (and you don’t see that said very often) he did the nation a favour rowing back the fossil fuel vehicle phase-out to 2035.

That was reversed by Starmer who brought back the 2030 deadline for EVs being the only form of car you will be able to buy. The Times, in an editorial, described this as a ludicrously hubristic and unenforced error.

There will be others under Starmer. He is at least as nutty on this issue as Ed Miliband. As a young lawyer, he found common cause with environmental radicals. He may have just been looking for clients with deepish pockets but in 2020 when asked if he was still red-green replied: ‘’Yeah’’.

That’s about the only policy belief that I’ve ever heard from him. And it will be you who picks up the bill.

All the think tanks say getting rid of carbon at this speed will be hugely expensive with Neso, the government’s own energy supply watchdog, warning domestic power may have to be rationed with the 2030 target. We simply can’t guarantee when the wind blows or the sun shines.

Even’s Labour supportive lapdog, the GMB union, warns that the 2030 line is out of the question.

Starmer says that the plan is not about telling what people to do with their lives. Really? Since gas boilers will be banned, even with government subsidies (that’s your money by the way) the costs of putting in heat pumps will still be another £5,000-£10,000.

Those numbers will be enough to get Starmer kicked out in 2029. So perhaps we don’t have to bother about his mad plans except that he has five years to wreak havoc on us.

And if the last four months is anything to go by, he’s good at that.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been handed a “cause for anxiety” which is a consequence of a series of “bad judgements”, according to a royal commentator.

Speaking on GB News, Lee Cohen spoke to Nana Akua about the couple he is often outspoken in his criticism of.

The Sussexes, according to Cohen, are likely to be having “sleepless nights” after Donald Trump won the US election last week.

Trump is another who has been critical of the pair and has even discussed Harry’s visa in the past.

“It seems like divine justice or karma that the fortunes of the Sussex bosses have taken such a turn”, he said.

“Over the past year, bad behaviour and bad judgements have been catching up with them.

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“Now, with Donald Trump’s historic landslide last week, I imagine there have been some sleepless nights in Montecito.

“Whether it’s Portugal, Canada, Montecito or Frogmore, wherever the Sussexes drop anchor, they seem to wear out their welcome.

“I don’t know if this [Harry’s visa] will be Donald Trump’s first priority, but it certainly should give cause for some anxiety in Montecito.”

Trump has previously suggested he might look into the Duke’s visa application due to concerns that he did not disclose details of drug use, something he admitted to in his memoir Spare.

The man set to be handed the keys to the White House at his inauguration in January had already criticised the Sussexes, accusing them of “betraying” the late Queen.

He told Nigel Farage on GB News he was “not a fan” of Meghan Markle.

He said: "I wasn't from day one. I think Harry has been used horribly and I think someday he will regret it.

“I think Harry's been used and been used terribly. I think it's ruined his relationship with his family, and it hurts the Queen. She is trying to do things that I think are very inappropriate."

When the couple stepped back from royal duties and announced they would be moving to California, Trump made his feelings clear on the matter at the time.

He said: "I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen and the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada.

"Now they have left Canada for the US however, the US will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!"

Princess Beatrice has stepped out at The King's Foundation's Future Textiles exhibition despite an ongoing feud between her father Prince Andrew and the monarch.

The 36-year-old royal engaged with the charity's Education Director, Jacqueline Farrell, whilst meeting students, alumni and industry partners from the Foundation's courses.

The appearance marked Princess Beatrice's inaugural involvement with The King's Foundation, as she explored the exhibition celebrating a decade of pioneering textiles education.

The exhibition, inspired by The King, showcases the Foundation's commitment to addressing skills gaps within the UK fashion and textiles industry through dedicated education and training programmes.

During her visit, Princess Beatrice demonstrated her enthusiasm by trying various textiles techniques, including smocking and embroidery.

The royal opted for an elegant black midi dress adorned with gold buttons for the occasion, complemented by a houndstooth coat and heeled leather boots.

At the conclusion of her visit, the princess received a special poppy pin to commemorate Armistice Day, crafted by Sheena Spence, a dedicated member of the Sewing Bee at Dumfries House.

The handmade accessory came from Ms Spence, who resides in nearby Ayr and has long been associated with the Foundation's initiatives.

The King's Foundation, established by Charles in 1990 when he was the Prince of Wales, has made significant strides in textile education through its Future Textiles programme.

Launched at Dumfries House in 2014, the initiative has since benefited more than 7,000 people across multiple locations including Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire and Trinity Buoy Wharf in London.

The Foundation, formerly known as The Prince's Foundation, extends beyond textiles education to encompass various community-building initiatives.

Its mission focuses on creating harmonious communities where "people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony."

The charity delivers diverse educational courses, health and wellbeing programmes, while championing placemaking and regeneration projects both domestically and internationally.

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Princess Beatrice's engagement with the Foundation comes amid her increasingly prominent public role.

The princess, who serves as one of the King's Counsellors of State, can represent the monarch at Privy Council meetings and sign routine documents when required.

Adding to this significant year, Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi announced in October they are expecting their second child.

A statement released at the time read: "Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together in early spring; a sibling for Wolfie, aged eight, and Sienna, aged three."

Justin Welby has resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury.

The 68-year-old was facing mounting pressure to quit over his handling of the John Smyth abuse case.

FULL STORY HERE.

Donald Trump's proposed new tariffs could cause significant disruption to the automotive industry, with car prices potentially rising according to new data.

The automotive sector is expected to be the most affected within US manufacturing if the proposed tariffs are implemented, with research from Oxford Economics suggesting new car prices could jump by 3.7 per cent.

The impact comes at a challenging time for carmakers, who are already grappling with shrinking profits due to rising costs of electric vehicle development and increased competition from Chinese manufacturers.

European manufacturers are particularly exposed to the proposed tariffs, with share prices of BMW and Mercedes-Benz dropping steeply in response to the plans.

Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing motoring@gbnews.uk

A former executive of a European car group told the Financial Times: "The bigger pressure point will probably be the German brands because they export quite a bit."

Companies may need to increase their US production to cope with the changes, following Tesla's example of boosting local manufacturing after Elon Musk paused plans in Mexico.

A UK Government spokesperson told GB News: “We are always vigilant to international developments and are very clear that any decision over the implementation of tariffs has to be the right one for our domestic automotive industry.”

Trump's vision for an America-centric automotive industry includes a dramatic reshaping of German manufacturing presence in America.

"I want German car companies to become American car companies," Trump declared at a recent rally. "I want them to build their plants here."

Volkswagen's subsidiaries Audi and Porsche could be particularly vulnerable to these changes, as they currently lack manufacturing facilities in the United States.

Mexico, which is currently the United States' biggest trading partner, faces significant threats from Trump's proposed policies, with car exports to the US having risen 13 per cent to 2.55 million last year. Honda has warned that US tariffs on Mexico would affect an estimated 160,000 of its vehicle exports.

The Japanese manufacturer's executive vice president Shinji Aoyama indicated the company would need to consider relocating production if tariffs were implemented.

Major global manufacturers including Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota, all with substantial manufacturing presence in Mexico, could be impacted.

US carmakers would also feel significant impacts from the proposed tariffs, particularly General Motors and Stellantis, whose Mexican-made trucks sell in higher volumes than Ford's products.

Barclays analyst Dan Levy warns that imposing tariffs on Mexican-made goods would inevitably disrupt the US auto industry.

"If part of the mandate [of Trump] is to avoid inflation, putting in tariffs doesn't help on the inflationary side," Levy told the FT.

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This follows an urgent warning from Swedish premium electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar who warned that it could be "effectively prohibited" from selling vehicles under tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.

Despite having a plant in South Carolina, the Commerce Department has put forward rules that could prohibit connected vehicles from China on American roads, citing national security concerns.

Polestar said 10 per cent of its workforce was in China, while a "substantial portion of its operations" are situated in China.

The Labour lawmaker Kim Leadbeater has described the Assisted Dying Bill as "very robust", saying the legislation offers layers of safeguards to protect vulnerable people, who some critics fear might feel pressured to end their lives if assisted dying becomes legal.

Assisted dying would only be an option for mentally competent, terminally ill adults with six months or less left to live, as expected, under the proposed new law.

The other safeguards include two doctors confirming seven days apart that the person is eligible and has made their decision free from pressure, while a judge would then speak to one of those doctors before a 14-day period of reflection.

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Melania Trump has declined an invitation to join her husband at the White House tomorrow, breaking with the longstanding tradition of outgoing and incoming First Ladies meeting for tea.

The former First Lady's decision comes despite President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden extending a joint invitation to the Trumps for the customary White House visit.

It marks a departure from historical transition protocols, as Melania Trump continues to maintain distance from Washington's social customs.

"Mrs Trump is not going, and they have not spoken," a source with knowledge told the Mail Online regarding Wednesday's presidential meeting.

The last time the two First Ladies were in the same room was at Rosalynn Carter's funeral last November.

Despite Donald Trump and Joe Biden having a cordial phone conversation, their wives have yet to speak in the aftermath of the election.

The Bidens have pledged a peaceful and orderly transition to the upcoming Trump administration.

Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump for tea in the Yellow Room after the 2016 election.

It comes amid uncertainty surrounding Melania's living arrangements at the White House.

The incoming First Lady currently resides in New York City, where her son Barron attends New York University.

Her involvement in public life has been limited, with her only campaign appearance being at a Trump rally in Madison Square Garden last October.

She did not speak at the Republican National Convention nor attend any presidential debates.

Despite her limited public presence, Melania Trump is showing signs of preparing for a potential return to the White House.

John Rogers, a top Goldman Sachs executive and White House Historical Association board member, has been tapped to help staff the East Wing.

Rogers, who assisted Melania with staffing during the first Trump administration, brings experience dating back to Ronald Reagan's presidency.

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