Former minister Chris Skidmore and environmental groups accuse the Tory leader of contradicting her previous stance on climate action
Kemi Badenoch is under fire for her call to reconsider the UK’s net zero policies, as she argues the 2050 targets are unachievable. In a major speech today, the Conservative leader will claim she was among a small group of MPs who initially questioned the feasibility of Theresa May’s government’s climate commitments.
Former environment minister Chris Skidmore has led the backlash, pointing out Badenoch’s past advocacy for net zero while serving as business and trade secretary. He highlighted a previous speech in which she praised clean energy’s economic benefits, posting a sarcastic remark on social media.
A Labour spokesperson accused Badenoch of denying the Conservatives’ poor environmental record while contradicting her earlier positions. “She once championed net zero, and now she’s tearing it apart. The Tories stand for nothing and refuse to learn from their failures,” they said.
Environmentalists also warned that weakening climate policies could harm both economic growth and the public. Greenpeace UK’s head of climate, Mel Evans, stressed that abandoning climate targets would prolong reliance on costly, polluting fossil fuels. “Green industries are growing three times faster than the rest of the economy. This is the economic opportunity of the century, and stepping back now is reckless,” she added.
Badenoch, however, insists she is not questioning climate science but rather the practicality of current policies. In a preview of her speech, she called net zero ambitions “noble” but claimed they are driving up energy costs without delivering meaningful environmental progress. “We are stuck between high costs and little advancement. Achieving net zero by 2050 is impossible,” she said.
She maintains that her position is not ideological but a recognition of economic and political realities, arguing that policies need urgent revision to balance affordability with environmental protection.
