Rishi Sunak’s decision to water down his government’s green pledges was a “catastrophic misjudgment” which contributed to the Tories’ record-breaking election defeat, new polling has revealed.
Research by the More in Common think tank found that the move boosted support for Labour and the Lib Dems while failing to convince Reform UK supporters to switch to the Conservatives.
Sunak announced in September last year that he was ditching a number of policies aimed at tackling climate change.
The move came after the Tories unexpectedly won the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election by campaigning against the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme.
Sunak said he was delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel cars, as well as the transition from gas boilers to heat pumps in homes.
“It cannot be right for Westminster to impose such significant costs on working people,” he said.
However, the More in Common poll, conducted for the climate think tank E3G, showed that the former PM enjoyed no political gain from the controversial decision.
Only 6% of those surveyed said it was among his top three achievements in office, while 11% said it was among his biggest mistakes.
Among those who voted either Labour or Lib Dem at the election, climate change and the environment was the third most important reason, behind the cost of living crisis and supporting the NHS.
Meanwhile, of those who voted Reform last week, only 4% did so because of their environmental policies.
Luke Tryl, executive director at More in Common, said: “Sunak’s reversals on the country’s climate targets simply weakened the Conservative brand, making the prime minister look inconsistent, unable to deliver on his pledges, and unserious about climate change, something that made voters worry for their children and grandchildren’s future”