UK home secretary, Suella Braverman has said that the country’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak will not “save the planet by bankrupting the British people” even as she rejected claims that the government was backing away from its net zero commitments.
Braverman was quoted as saying that she was proud of what the government had achieved over the past 10 years and commended the prime minister for making “difficult decisions” before his expected move to weaken environmental policies.
According to reports, the plan to water down key green policies, expected to be announced in a major speech on Friday, could include delaying a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and weakening the policy to phase out gas boilers.
Sunak’s intention to drive a “green wedge” between Labour and the Conservatives has already opened rifts within his party, with Chris Skidmore, the outgoing Tory MP and former minister who wrote a review of the Tories’ net zero approach, warning of the economic consequences.
Braverman said “We’ve achieved a huge amount in the last decade … but ultimately, we have to adopt a pragmatic approach, a proportionate approach, and one that also serves our goals. And we’re not going to save the planet by bankrupting the British people,”.
Read also: Study shows global heating made Greece, Libya floods more likely
Speaking further, she said “I commend the prime minister for making difficult decisions, putting the interests of the economy first, putting the interests of British workers first, putting the interests of household costs first. That’s how we’re going to grow the economy. That’s how we’re going to protect people’s livelihoods.”
The prime minister is also expected to drop plans for new energy efficiency targets for private rented homes after ministers considered imposing fines on landlords who failed to upgrade their properties.
The home secretary however refused to say whether the government had spoken to the electric car industry before shifting the government’s net zero stance, adding: “We’re only going to achieve that net zero target whereby people and the British people can go about their daily lives using their cars, using the facilities that are available to them, in a pragmatic way.”
Mike Hawes, who is the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said that delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans could lead motorists to not switching to electric vehicles because the overall message was “confusing”.
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
