Sunak says he remains committed to the net zero agenda, but it must be pursued “proportionately and pragmatically”.
Rishi Sunak has said the government’s climate policies must be implemented “proportionately and pragmatically”.
He made the comments in a joint interview with broadcasters this morning in which he underlined his overall commitment to the government’s net zero agenda, while hinting that he understood why some Conservatives want it scaled back.
The Tory’s surprise victory in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, which followed the Tories turning the contest into an effective referendum on extending the ultra-low emissions (Ulez) levy to outer London, has led some Tories to argue that green measures that increase costs for people should be delayed or abandoned.
Ulez (a measure of air quality, rather than a measure of carbon emissions) will see owners of the most polluting cars in outer London pay an extra £12.50 a day to drive.
In his interview this morning, Sunak was asked if he was still committed to introducing a ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. He replied:
Of course, net zero is important to me. So yes, we will continue to move towards our net zero ambitions and also strengthen our energy security.
I think the events of the last year or two have shown the importance of investing more in home energy, whether it’s more nuclear or offshore wind. I think that’s what people want to see and that’s what I’m going to offer.
But when asked if he would stand up to Tory MPs opposed to net zero policies, Sunak replied:
In fact, I stand up for the British people because I am also aware that we are living at a time when inflation is high. This has an impact on household and family bills. I don’t want to add to this, I want to make it easier.
So, yes, we will move towards net zero, but we will do it in a proportionate and pragmatic way that doesn’t unnecessarily cause people more inconvenience and more costs in their lives; that’s not what I’m interested in or willing to do.
In an interview on the program Avui al mati Andrew Mitchellthe Minister of Public Works, said the government’s commitment to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 remained in place.
When asked if that would continue to be the case, Mitchell initially said he couldn’t “prophesy for the future” before saying it would ultimately “stay in place.”
Mitchell is not responsible for policy in this area and his comments implied that he thought a future No. 10 U-turn on this was not entirely impossible.
Rishi Sunak speaking to the media during a visit to Crofton Park, near Rednal, Birmingham, this morning. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA
Key events
Internal Tory “turmoil” has delayed implementation of party measures to tackle Islamophobia, report says
Chaos at the top of the Conservatives led to delays in delivering on plans to tackle Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination in the party, an independent reviewer has said. PA Media says:
Prof Swaran Singh said the “discomfort” has affected the Conservatives’ ability to undertake the reforms it called for in its original inquiry into the issue.
The former Equality and Human Rights Commissioner’s review, published this morning, found implementation of some of its recommendations has been “slow”.
Training at the local level is “mixed”, and the large amount of documentation in response to the inquiry has not necessarily improved “awareness or action on the ground”.
No formal process has been established to handle complaints of discriminatory behavior involving senior party members, the review found.
People making complaints were also said to need better care.
“Politics is a tough business, but there is no reason why the complaints process should be indifferent or abrasive to the experience of those involved,” the report says.
It said the crackdown at the top of the Tories had an “unavoidable impact on the day-to-day” of the party.
Professor Singh told the PA news agency: “It took forever to focus on this.”
Since completing his report in May 2021, Boris Johnson has been forced out as Prime Minister, as has his immediate successor Liz Truss in a period of tumult.
In the report, Professor Singh wrote: “The two years since the report was published have seen considerable political upheaval in the UK. In that time, the Conservative Party has had three leaders and seven chairs. This upheaval has affected the party’s efforts to implement our recommendations.”
Conservative President Greg Hands The MP said: “The party has made significant progress on Professor Singh’s recommendations with 25 complete and only six ongoing. However, there is still work to be done and this is a process of continuous improvement.”
It appears that the full text of Michael Gove’s speech is not yet available on the Department for Housing, Housing and Communities’ website. But it has been published a long summary of all the ads it contained.
In his joint interview with the broadcasters Rishi Sunak he also played down concerns expressed by Tory MP Anthony Browne about the government’s plans for more housing in Cambridge. (See 9:47 a.m.) Asked about Browne’s comments, Sunak said:
No one is mass building houses in Cambridge. This is about adding a new urban district to Cambridge, something that the local communities have talked about and, of course, that will be done in dialogue with the local communities.
Updated at 06:41 EDT
Sunak says he remains committed to the net zero agenda, but it must be pursued “proportionately and pragmatically”.
Rishi Sunak has said the government’s climate policies must be implemented “proportionately and pragmatically”.
He made the comments in a joint interview with broadcasters this morning in which he underlined his overall commitment to the government’s net zero agenda, while hinting that he understood why some Conservatives want it scaled back.
The Tory’s surprise victory in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, which followed the Tories turning the contest into an effective referendum on extending the ultra-low emissions (Ulez) levy to outer London, has led some Tories to argue that green measures that increase costs for people should be delayed or abandoned.
Ulez (a measure of air quality, rather than a measure of carbon emissions) will see owners of the most polluting cars in outer London pay an extra £12.50 a day to drive.
In his interview this morning, Sunak was asked if he was still committed to introducing a ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. He replied:
Of course, net zero is important to me. So yes, we will continue to move towards our net zero ambitions and also strengthen our energy security.
I think the events of the last year or two have shown the importance of investing more in home energy, whether it’s more nuclear or offshore wind. I think that’s what people want to see and that’s what I’m going to offer.
But when asked if he would stand up to Tory MPs opposed to net zero policies, Sunak replied:
In fact, I stand up for the British people because I am also aware that we are living at a time when inflation is high. This has an impact on household and family bills. I don’t want to add to this, I want to make it easier.
So, yes, we will move towards net zero, but we will do it in a proportionate and pragmatic way that doesn’t unnecessarily cause people more inconvenience and more costs in their lives; that’s not what I’m interested in or willing to do.
In an interview on the program Avui al mati Andrew Mitchellthe Minister of Public Works, said the government’s commitment to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 remained in place.
When asked if that would continue to be the case, Mitchell initially said he couldn’t “prophesy for the future” before saying it would ultimately “stay in place.”
Mitchell is not responsible for policy in this area and his comments implied that he thought a future No. 10 U-turn on this was not entirely impossible.
Rishi Sunak speaking to the media during a visit to Crofton Park, near Rednal, Birmingham, this morning. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA
Q: Do you support rent checks?
No, he said Gov. He said that where they had been tried, they had led to a constriction of the supply of rental accommodation.
Updated at 06:17 EDT
Q: You want the city centers to be encouraging this. But do you agree that they can only be lively if they have a vibrant nightlife?
Gov he joked that the crowd was an enthusiastic supporter of nightclubs. And he said he sympathized with the point the questioner made.
Q: [From the Eastern Powerhouse] You are looking at the whole of the East of England, and not just Cambridge, in terms of turning the East into a silicon powerhouse.
Gov he said Cambridge was an exceptional place. But he said there were also opportunities for other parts of the region.
Gov said there were plans to tighten energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector. There is a schedule for doing this. Gove said he thought this timetable should be relaxed. More details will be released shortly, he said.
Updated at 05:37 EDT
Q: [From the National Residential Landlords Association] Do you think we need a private rental sector?
Yes, he said Gov. He said a private rental sector was vital to the housing market.
Q: Many people think that GP services and schools are oversubscribed. Won’t your plans make this worse?
Gov he said his housing plans incorporated the need for infrastructure like this.
Updated at 05:37 EDT
Gov said the government’s decision to abandon mandatory housebuilding targets for councils did not mean the government was still not committed to building 300,000 new homes a year. He claimed he had been misunderstood.
Q: Are you committed to removing the lease?
Gov he said the government wanted to ensure that tenants were, in fact, the owners of their properties.
Freehold would still exist in legal terms. But in practical terms, “the lease will effectively end,” he said.
Q: Won’t these plans be made only if you are willing to ignore local opposition?
Gov he said he believed in taking people with him. And he said he thought his plans would have support.
In the past, people opposed housing because the houses weren’t pretty, because there wasn’t enough infrastructure, out of concern for the environment, or because they thought the government was building houses, not neighborhoods.
Gove said he thought his plans addressed all of these concerns.
Gov he said the government planned to introduce the Tenancy Reform Bill shortly.
Q: How will you get your plans for Cambridge through if an MP like Anthony Browne says they are “nonsense”.
Gov he said Cambridge could not be held back. He said he looked forward to discussing it with Cambridge MPs.
Gov he said he did not accept that Labor had an extensive plan for housebuilding.
He said Labor had just pledged to build on the green belt. In the past, this has led to the erosion of environmental assets, he said.
He said he proposed building homes on a “Heseltinian” scale.
