Labour minister grilled on Andy Burnham's Net Zero stance ahead of 'difficult' Budget: 'Where is the sense in that?!'

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Andy Burnham has welcomed Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin to No10 North in Manchester

Labour Minister Sarah Jones has been handed a GB News grilling on Andy Burnham's Net Zero stance following his latest intervention on the Government's targets.

Speaking to the People's Channel, the Policing Minister said we "go as fast as we can" to tackle the world's climate issues.

In his strongest intervention since becoming Prime Minister, Mr Burnham urged the UK to "believe in itself" to reach its Net Zero targets by 2050.

Writing in The Guardian, the PM said Britons need to "change the way we travel, build homes and produce energy".

Challenging Ms Jones on the remarks, host Ellie Costello argued: "These are Mr Burnham's strongest comments on the issue so far, but this comes at a very difficult backdrop, doesn't it?

"We're hearing about how difficult the Chancellor's job is going to be just next month with the Budget, how tight the finances in this country are and yet they're pushing ahead, racing ahead with Net Zero commitments. Where is the sense in that?"

The Labour minister responded: "Well, we've had billions and billions of pounds invested into this country, into clean energy.

"That's good for jobs, that's good for different parts of our country where we need that investment and that growth. So that's a good thing."

Ms Jones acknowledged that following the soaring temperatures across the UK this summer, the Government must act "fast" to address the changing climate.

She argued: "Look, of course, I think people saw over the summer with the weather conditions that we had around the world, that we need to make sure we are going as fast as we can to tackle those issues.

"The costs in the long run will be huge if we don't, but we also need to be pragmatic."

Defending Mr Burnham's doubling down on Net Zero, Ms Jones told GB News that the opportunities that come with the "clean energy agenda are really good".

She said: "So on oil and gas, for example, we know we're going to need to use oil and gas in this country for for decades to come.

"And we know that those things will be there, but the opportunity of the green energy, the clean energy agenda for jobs and growth in this country is actually really good."

Turning to Mr Burnham's other ambitions for the country, Ms Jones was questioned on the Prime Minister's hosting of Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin at No10 North in Manchester, and whether discussions will involve Labour "trying to get us back into the EU as an associate member".

She responded: "Well, I don't think people should be nervous at all that our Prime Minister is doing what everyone would expect him to do, which is meeting with our friends and allies and talking about how we can work together there in No10 North, which is interesting.

"I think the relationship that we have with our Irish counterparts is always very important, not least because of the Good Friday Agreement and all of the relationships that we maintain through that. But of course, they are a close trading partner. They will always be important.

"We're not changing the status of our relationship with the EU, but we are rebuilding those relationships on a human and personal level so that we can make the most of the trade and the relationships that we have."

Pushing back on Ms Jones's argument, host Mark White asked: "But how closely aligned are we expected to be again with the EU, and what is that going to mean for us?"

Ms Jones concluded: "I think the Prime Minister has been really clear in terms of wanting those relationships to be strong so that we can trade together, so that we stand firm against Ukraine attacks from Russia. But our status on being in the EU remains the same.

"That's not going to change, but we have to make the most of those relationships where we can."