Sunak faces major Tory rebellion over vote on net-zero emissions plans

Suella Braverman was one of two former interior secretaries to vote against the plans. Photo: Jamie Lorriman

Rishi Sunak suffered one of the biggest revolts of his premiership when dozens of Tory MPs, including Suella Braverman and Dame Priti Patel, voted against his net-zero emissions plans.

Two former interior ministers have joined MPs to oppose a quota on the sale of electric vehicles.

Two former home secretaries have joined Conservative MPs to oppose a cap on electric vehicle sales.

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The measure was passed with Labor support on Monday night but will worry Mr Sunak , as Tory rebels reached the «magic number» of 26 — the number of his own MPs that could overturn his majority.

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It came minutes after he suffered his first defeat in the Commons when MPs, including 22 Conservatives, voted to speed up compensation for victims of the tainted blood scandal.

Senior Tories are concerned that that Mr Sunak announced in September a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars will be delayed for five years.

The controversial mandate obliges car manufacturers to ensure that at least 22 per cent of their cars sold from 1 January are electric .

By 2030, 80 per cent of cars sold will have to be zero-emission, even though a complete ban on petrol and diesel won't come into force until 2035.

David Jones, former cabinet minister, who voted against the measure said it “completely negates” Mr Sunak's pledge to delay net zero targets.

He told The Telegraph: “[The vote] took everyone by surprise. We all assumed that the transition to net zero would be smarter and more gradual, but this has completely negated that idea.

“I think the whips need to listen much more carefully to their flock… Two riots in one evening is something that should be avoided.”

The rebellion was bigger than opposition to Sunak's Windsor agenda, which 22 Conservatives voted against.

Greg Smith, a member of the Conservative Net Zero Party, the group said he was disappointed by the mandate and that the rebels had been sticking to the Prime Minister's position since September. He warned the government: «Don't try to do something like that again because we have the numbers.»

The policy was also opposed by Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, and Sir John Redwood, former Welsh minister.

In a letter to the Prime Minister earlier this month, 40 Tory MPs and their colleagues warned of a rebellion against «anti-car» legislation.

The letter, signed by Dame Preeti and others, said: «Many in the car industry do not see this a very real goal, but trying to achieve it through legal coercion is likely to cause great harm.

“If the cost of purchasing and operating an electric car becomes cheaper than gasoline and diesel cars, then there is no need to oblige them with this law. This law is anti-consumer, anti-choice, anti-motorist, and will only make the population poorer. Car ownership could once again be limited to a privileged few.»

A government spokesman said: «We're on the side of drivers, so we've developed a fairer and more proportionate route to net zero and brought forward the cut-off date for new petrol and diesel car sales to 2035, putting the UK in line with other countries such as France, Germany and Italy.

“We are also supporting UK jobs with a zero-emission vehicle. a mandate giving the car industry the confidence they need to continue to invest in the UK and recruit skilled workers across the country.

“We're helping people make the switch to zero-emission vehicles by investing £2 billion in grants and support payment points, which makes these cars more accessible to drivers throughout the country.»