After the recent Uxbridge and South Ruislip byelection win, environmentally-minded Conservatives are urging Rishi Sunak to maintain his net zero commitments despite calls from others within the party to end “very unpopular” green policies.
The controversial expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) played a role in the Tories holding on to Boris Johnson’s former seat, winning by a narrow margin of 495 votes over Labour.
Chris Skidmore, the Conservative MP who led a net zero review of the UK’s climate goals, emphasised that the Uxbridge byelection was similar to a “micro-referendum” on the Ulez expansion but should not be taken as representative of wider green issues in a general election, The Guardian reported.
The Ulez scheme, charging drivers of older, polluting cars £12.50 a day within the designated zone, was implemented by Johnson’s Labour successor, Sadiq Khan, covering an expanded area that includes outer regions like Uxbridge.
Some Conservative figures, including David Frost and Jacob Rees-Mogg, have used the Uxbridge result to argue against green policies and net zero targets, citing public resistance to the costs associated with such measures.
However, the Conservative Environment Network (CEN), supported by about 150 Conservative MPs and peers, warns against abandoning environmental commitments.
They believe that fair, affordable, and job-creating environmental policies can be electoral assets.
Skidmore acknowledged concerns with the Ulez expansion but stressed the need for honesty about pollution and the necessity of long-term investments to encourage private sector support for decarbonization.
He pointed to the net zero review’s emphasis on creating a just transition while decarbonizing effectively.
The Uxbridge result has also led to internal discussions within the Labour party, with some questioning the party’s green policies and advocating for a listening approach to voters’ concerns.
Both Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary, and green-minded party members are prepared to mount a substantial fightback against any indications of broader resistance to Labour’s green policies.
