Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party appear to have concluded, on the basis of a solitary and surprise by-election victory, to trash the Government’s record on the environment. It is a curious decision — and one that threatens not only Britain’s ability to combat catastrophic climate change, but also ignores the far more nuanced views of voters up and down the country.
The Prime Minister visited Scotland today to announce that hundreds of new oil and gas licences will be granted. In isolation, this would be controversial enough. But coming after days of briefing that ministers would launch a review of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, 20mph speed limits and, of course, the party’s enthusiastic opposition to the Ulez extension, it paints a picture of a leader going all-in on an anti-environmental agenda.
