Progressive economists reject Unite leader’s criticism of Ed Miliband

More than 40 progressive economists have written to Sharon Graham, the leader of Unite, rejecting her claim that Ed Miliband would destroy jobs if he becomes the next chancellor. With Andy Burnham almost certain to be prime minister within weeks, there is a fierce debate within Labour about who should succeed Rachel Reeves at the Treasury, with Miliband considered a frontrunner. Graham advocates new licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction, as does the GMB union. She told the Sunday Times that Miliband’s fierce commitment to net zero would be a “ noose around the neck ” of job creation. “Ed only seems to be interested in one side of the equation, rushing Britain to net zero with almost no thought for jobs, skills and national security,” she said. As well as wanting to see more oil and gas extraction off Scotland, Unite has been frustrated by the closure of UK oil refineries and the lack of British jobs in the offshore wind industry. In an open letter, academics including Kate Pickett, the author of The Spirit Level; Danny Dorling, a geographer; Daniela Gabor, a professor of economics at Soas University of London; and James Meadway from Verdant, a thinktank, urged her to withdraw the remarks. They wrote: “The climate transition is one of the largest drivers of industrial job creation in the UK economy. The net zero economy generates output worth over £100bn and employs over a million workers. As the sector expands, these numbers will grow further. …