Subscribe to the View from Westminster email newsletter to receive professional insights directly in your email inbox.
Receive our complimentary email newsletter, View from Westminster.
Another by-election has been triggered for Rishi Sunak as a high-ranking Conservative MP resigns from the party and his position in protest of the Prime Minister’s failures on climate change.
Chris Skidmore – the former net zero tsar and former energy minister – has said he will resign the Conservative whip and stand down as an MP next week.
In a strongly worded statement upon his departure, he declared that he could no longer remain a member of the Conservative Party or support the government due to the Prime Minister’s stance on environmental issues, which he believes to be misguided and potentially damaging in the future.
The member of parliament representing Kingswood in Gloucestershire stated that stepping down from his political party means that his constituents should have the opportunity to choose a new MP in a by-election. He announced his intentions to resign from parliament as soon as possible.
Although the Tory party has a majority of 11,000, Mr. Sunak will face a difficult and potentially disheartening battle against the Labour party as he tries to gain momentum leading up to the 2024 general election.
Mr. Skidmore announced his intention to resign on Monday when the Commons reconvenes after the Christmas break, creating a competition for the blue wall constituency in either February or March.
Although the region has historically been a stronghold for the Liberal Democrats, the Labour party placed second in the constituency in 2019. This presents Sir Keir Starmer’s party with a favorable chance to deal a new setback to Mr. Sunak.
In 2022, Chris Skidmore was in charge of overseeing the government’s assessment of achieving net zero emissions.
The Conservatives lost a string of by-elections in 2023, with Labour overturning big majorities in Mid-Bedfordshire, Tamworth and Selby and Ainsty.
The contest for Mr Skidmore’s position is among three potential by-election losses for the Conservative party in the beginning of 2024.
The Wellingborough seat held by Peter Bone will soon have a competition, as the Conservative MP was removed through a recall petition due to his suspension for sexual misconduct allegations that were found to be true.
Scott Benton’s seat in Blackpool South may potentially become available after he was suspended for 35 days due to a sting operation that revealed him offering to advocate for gambling investors.
Next week, Mr. Sunak will present a proposed energy bill in the Commons that would permit the granting of new licenses for fossil fuel extraction in the North Sea.
The proposed legislation would require that permits for oil and gas developments in the North Sea are granted on a yearly basis. This was viewed as a potential obstacle for the Labour party, as they have stated their intention to prohibit issuing new exploration permits in order to prioritize renewable energy.
Mr. Skidmore, who previously served as the UK’s energy minister and was responsible for signing the country’s net zero commitment into law for 2050, stated that he cannot support a bill that explicitly encourages the production of new oil and gas.
Choosing to not take action, rather than just voicing opinions, is to accept a current situation that is not sustainable. As a result, I will be stepping down from my party membership and choosing to be independent from any political party.
Pat McFadden, the leader of Labour’s campaign, stated that Mr. Skidmore’s departure is a sign of Mr. Sunak’s lack of strength to continue leading his party and the country. The Liberal Democrats deemed his exit as a humiliating situation that reflects the government’s disorder.
Rishi Sunak and King Charles were in attendance at the Cop28 summit in Dubai.
The Prime Minister received harsh criticism from activists, adversaries, and environmentally-minded members of his party for his July declaration of approximately 100 additional oil and gas permits. Mr. Skidmore stated that this action was ill-timed and ill-advised.
Mr. Sunak received criticism from conservative environmentalists for going back on important climate promises made by the government to achieve net zero by September.
After winning a surprise by-election in Uxbridge, the Conservative leader criticized the London mayor’s Ulez charging scheme and denounced climate “zealots,” stating his support for motorists.
The Prime Minister later declared that the prohibition on selling gasoline and diesel vehicles, as well as gas boilers, in 2030 would now be postponed until 2035.
Zac Goldsmith, a former minister who resigned in June and criticized Mr. Sunak for his lack of action towards climate change, stated that the decisions made were deplorable and have greatly damaged the UK’s reputation in addressing climate change.
Boris Johnson also condemned his successor – warning that Mr Sunak was in danger of losing “ambition for this country”, and arguing that businesses were desperate for clear net zero commitments.
The Cop28 summit criticized Mr Sunak for neglecting the climate crisis and prioritizing travel to Dubai over attending the conference.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the UK government can still maintain a position of authority on climate change, even though he has scaled back their net zero goals domestically.
Source: independent.co.uk
