Green policies could be scrapped as Sunak prioritises tackling cost of living over climate

Rishi Sunak is reconsidering green policies which could see consumers out of pocket amid fears that they could be electorally damaging, i understands.

The Prime Minister could look again at measures that will carry additional expense to consumers, with sources insisting that protecting households from rising costs is his number one priority.

A Government spokesman insisted the UK is a “world leader on net zero” but said ministers would “always look to protect consumers from any rising costs”.

“Many of the measures we are leading on will provide customers with cheaper bills in the long term,” the spokesman said.

“But we know that the number one concern for families up and down the country today is the immediate cost of living challenge and that’s why halving inflation is one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities.

“We’re working hard to stick to the plan to ease pressure on families, and we will always look to protect consumers from any rising costs.”

Mr Sunak is under pressure to row back on green measures, such as the petrol car ban and proposals which could add additional levies on energy bills, after the party narrowly won the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election due, campaigners said, to fears from residents over the London clean air policy.

But senior Tories pushed back against suggestions that the result was an indicator the party should backtrack on climate policies to be in with a chance of winning the next election.

They argued, instead, that the Government must ensure the burden does not fall on the most vulnerable.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the Government was “asking too much too quickly” on areas of environmental policy which require consumers to make changes.

But chair of the environment committee, Sir Robert Goodwill, said that the response to London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s ultra low emission zone (Ulez) – blamed for Labour’s loss in Uxbridge – was not a reason for the Government to backtrack on other climate pledges.

The warning came amid devastating wildfires in Greece and Switzerland and an extreme heatwave across southern Europe.

Asked about suggestions the Government should ease off green policies, Sir Robert told i: “I don’t think we have time to do that in terms of the pace of global warming and looking at what’s happening in southern Europe and around the world.

“But I think where we need to look is where the burden of this falls on those least able to pay and I think the low emission zone in London is a classic example of that.

“But we shouldn’t take the results of on the Ulez, which is one specific policy and is more targeted to air quality than global warming, as a reason to abdicate our responsibility to deliver on climate change.”

He said the Government “need[s] to press forward with policies that will help us achieve our net zero targets” and dismissed the suggestion that it would be unpopular among voters.

On dissenting voices within his party, he added: “There may be one or two on the margins who don’t accept climate change. But it doesn’t mean that the party is any less committed.”

Mark Garnier, Tory MP and member of the Energy and Net Zero committee, said he shared concerns over the rapid pace of some changes but argued against moving away from green pledges.

“Aside from anything else, there is a whole raft of economic opportunities from all this. And we need to save the planet,” he told i.

“I’m not sure our plans are changing, but the problem is the pace of change. The Ulez thing forces people to change their cars before end August, in parts of London with poorer public transport. The intention is agreeable – who wouldn’t want to stop pollution? But do it at a pace that people can plan more affordably. Ditto with energy.”

He added: “We need policy on all this that is workable and, importantly, brings people with it.”

Onward, the centre-right think tank, said it would be “a mistake for parties to tone down all green policies” purely because of one “poorly implemented, badly communicated regional policy”.

Jack Richardson, head of energy and climate at the think-tank, told i: “Neither party would gain an advantage by ditching all green policy.

“Climate change and the environment remains a top-five concern for voters according to YouGov, just behind immigration and above crime, while Onward research found only 68 per cent of wavering Conservatives would still vote for the party if it ditched Net Zero.

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“Instead, pro-economic growth and pro-consumer green policies are the best way to win votes and maintain support.”

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the by-election win for the Conservatives, who lost two other seats the same day, had shown there is a “real chance” Mr Sunak could pull off a shock win when the country next heads to the polls.

He told GB News “there are things that we can change that will be electorally successful” as he urged ministers to “stop burdening” the public and businesses with “extra” green charges.

“What works is getting rid of unpopular, expensive green policies, and that is a real opportunity for us,” he said. “We’ve got an energy bill before Parliament at the moment which will pile endless costs on British consumers and businesses. We don’t want to do that.”

He said the Government should scrap the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars – announced during Mr Johnson’s premiership – arguing it was formulated “a few years ago in different circumstances”.

Tory MP Craig Mackinlay, chairman of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, has previously suggested delaying the car ban to 2035.

His comments come after Housing Secretary Mr Gove warned about “treating the cause of the environment as a religious crusade” as he called for “thoughtful environmentalism”.

The Cabinet minister told The Sunday Telegraph he wants to “relax” the 2028 deadline for landlords in the private rented sector to have to make energy efficiency improvements to their properties.

Chris Skidmore, the UK Government’s net zero tsar, had pushed back against the proposals, saying it would be both “deeply regrettable” and an “abdication of responsible government” if ministers “play politics” with environmental policies.

Lee Rowley, a junior minister in Mr Gove’s department, said the Government needed to be “very careful” to ensure “people come with us on this journey” of achieving net zero.

But he denied that the Tories were considering ditching environmental commitments.