If you U-turn on a U-turn, does that make it an O-turn? That’s the question Mr S is wondering this morning given the mess ministers have managed to get themselves into on plans to ban new diesel and petrol cars. The ban is due to come into effect from 2030 but yesterday Andrew Mitchell, the Foreign Office minister, appeared to suggest that this might not be the case.
Asked by Radio 4 if the government intends to stick to the plan, Mitchell told the Today programme that ‘All I can tell you is it is in place… But I’m afraid I can’t prophesy for the future.’ Rishi Sunak then prevaricated on the question a few hours later, giving an extremely lukewarm answer when pressed on the subject:
Of course Net Zero is important to me. So yes we’re going to keep making progress towards our net zero ambitions and we’re also going to strengthen our energy security. I think the events over the last year or two have demonstrated the importance of investing more in home-grown energy, whether that’s more nuclear or offshore wind. I think that’s what people want to see and that’s what I’m going to deliver.
The Daily Mail then quoted ‘government sources’ as saying that the Prime Minister ‘would be open to reviewing’ the ban. Cue much excitement about the 2030 petrol and diesel ban being dropped.
But this morning Steerpike has turned on his radio to hear ministers already rowing back on this U-turn. Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, gave Times Radio today an ‘absolute guarantee’ that the ban was going ahead. Indeed, Gove claimed, the ban was ‘immovable’ as ‘it’s important that the government does press ahead with thoughtful and important steps in order to safeguard the environment.’
Flip flops out in time for summer chaps…
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