Tories' Net Zero flip-flopping is unsustainable

Net Zero Watch has criticised Michael Gove for his dogmatic support of the UK's 2030 ban on sales of new combustion engine cars.

Sensing a shift in public opinion, the housing secretary on Sunday called for the relaxation of Net Zero policies and warned against treating green issues as a 'religious crusade.'

However, in response to heavy flak by green activists, Gove appears to have caved in, calling the government's 2030 ban of selling new combustion engine cars an “immovable” deadline.

This kind of flip-flopping appears to be in direct conflict with the Prime Minister, who yesterday cast doubt on the 2030 target by insisting the government’s Net Zero pledges must be “proportionate and pragmatic”.

Michael Gove's car-banning dogmatism, however, is neither proportionate nor pragmatic, not least because the UK is the only nation to adopt such a radical target. In comparison, the EU has abandoned its similar plan altogether, allowing conventional cars to be sold and registered after 2035 if they use fuels that are CO2-neutral. This will allow car makers to continue producing and selling conventional models.

For millions of Britons, electric vehicles will not be a viable solution as they are much more expensive than cars with combustion engines. EVs have other major disadvantages, particularly in rural areas. It is likely that electric cars will still be more expensive than conventional cars in seven years.

Now that the European ban has been overturned, the government will come under growing pressure to follow suit if it wants to avoid a driver rebellion and destroying the British car industry for good.