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Labour climate envoy sports Extinction Rebellion badge

(Photo by Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)

When it rains for Sir Keir Starmer, it pours. Labour isn’t yet in the clear over the freebie fiasco that dampened the party’s conference this week and now another uncomfortable revelation has emerged. It transpires that Labour has chosen a new climate envoy with links to a hedge fund that donated millions to the party. The new appointee also appears to have had previous ties with, er, Extinction Rebellion.

Rachel Kyte has been made the new UK special representative for climate, filling a role that was awarded a six-figure salary of £130,000 when it was last taken. The climate envoy is, it turns out, on the advisory board of the Quadrature Climate Foundation. QCF was set up by Quadrature Capital, a hedge fund registered in the Cayman Islands which has donated a whopping £4 million to Sir Keir’s crowd. As concerns about cronyism and ‘cash for jobs’ continue to grow, the rather curious link poses yet more questions for Labour.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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