Tories to scrap petrol ban if they win next election
Kemi Badenoch says the Conservatives will lift the ban on petrol and diesel vehicles that will come into force in England if they win the next election.
Writing in the Sunday TelegraphThe Conservative Party leader said the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate (ZEV) was a “well-intentioned but ultimately destructive piece of legislation”.
All new cars will have to be electric or hybrid from 2030, as part of the government’s legally binding efforts to reach a “net zero” target by 2050.
The Conservative leader’s comments came after he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been lobbying the EU to water down its own ban plans.
Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
Six EU countries, including Italy, recently called on other member states to rethink plans to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, saying it could harm industrial competitiveness.
Badenoch claimed the EU had signaled it would lift the ban altogether, adding: “The reality is that the EU changing its mind on electric vehicles will further isolate Labor and by continuing to go it alone, we are putting our domestic industry at a disadvantage while giving others the opportunity to dominate global supply chains.”
“The only winner of economic self-destruction is China,” he said.
The Conservative leader added that his government would still move towards a “transition to cleaner transport”, but that this transition would be driven by “affordability, practicality and technological progress” rather than “unrealistic imperatives that weaken domestic production and strengthen foreign competitors”.
He said lifting the mandate would provide “space” to rebuild Britain’s car industry.
Car companies in England Said to be divided over 2030 deadlineSome have called for more support to cover this.
In its last Budget, the Government announced it would invest an additional £1.3 billion in the UK’s Electric Car Grant scheme to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves also announced that drivers of battery electric cars, including plug-in hybrids, will be charged 3p per mile for Electric Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2028. Some argue this move could make electric cars less attractive.
The ban on the sale of gasoline and diesel cars was first introduced in 2020 by the then Prime Minister, Conservative Boris Johnson. Badenoch, who was a cabinet member at the time, opposed the plans.
It was later pushed back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak, with Labor promising to put it forward in its 2024 election manifesto.
A Department for Transport spokesman said the government remained “committed to phasing out sales of all new non-zero-emission cars and vans”.
They said: “More drivers than ever are choosing electric.”
The next UK general election is due to be held by 15 August 2029, but the prime minister can choose to call an election at any time before then.
