A former Conservative minister who resigned in protest against the government’s handling of the environmental crisis has disclosed his intention to vote for the Labour Party in the upcoming election.
In a significant blow to Rishi Sunak’s struggling campaign, Chris Skidmore accused the prime minister of aligning with climate change skeptics to “politically exploit” the shift towards renewable energy.
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He described this as potentially “the biggest disappointment of [Sunak’s] leadership”, asserting that it has had detrimental effects not only environmentally but also economically.
Mr. Skidmore expressed in The Guardian: “For the first time, I am unable to support a party that proudly promotes new licenses for oil and gas in its manifesto or now argues against the benefits of achieving net zero.”
“Instead, like many others who understand that we are left with no alternatives and time is running out, and that we must address the environmental crisis immediately, I have concluded that the Labour Party is in the best position to foster economic growth and lead the green industrial revolution.”
“Net zero is among its top five priorities, and for this reason, I will cast my vote for the Labour Party in this election.”
Mr. Skidmore, a former energy minister, resigned as a Conservative Member of Parliament in January due to the government’s proposal to grant new licenses for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
This decision followed a dilution of environmental commitments following the Uxbridge by-election.
The Conservatives retained Boris Johnson’s previous seat unexpectedly last summer after making opposition to Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion a central theme of their campaign.
Some viewed this shift as an effort to use environmental policies as a divisive issue against Labour, with Mr. Sunak emphasizing his desire to shield “struggling British households” from “unbearable expenses”.
In his article, Mr. Skidmore criticized “an extreme narrative that portrays net zero policies as an imposition”.
“This misleading narrative stems from both ignorance and intentional misinformation. No one has been mandated to remove their boilers or switch their gasoline vehicles,” he stated.
While previous Conservative governments acknowledged that change was necessary and must be managed and incentivized, Mr. Skidmore lamented the Prime Minister’s choice to “align with climate change skeptics and politicize the energy transition, which is perhaps the biggest letdown of his tenure.”
Mr. Skidmore, who spearheaded the government’s review on achieving net zero in 2023, has long been critical of Mr. Sunak’s environmental policies.
Following his resignation, Labour succeeded in winning his seat in Kingswood, near Bristol.
His change in allegiance comes shortly after a former Tory benefactor who donated half a million pounds to Boris Johnson also declared his intention to vote for Labour for the first time.
This constitutes another setback for Mr. Sunak, following various polls indicating that Labour is poised for a remarkable victory and a brewing controversy concerning bets being placed on the election date.
