New UK climate minister voted against key Tory green plan

LONDON — The U.K.’s new energy minister voted against flagship government environmental policy when he was a backbench MP.

Conservative Justin Tomlinson, named a minister at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on Friday, rebelled in December against government plans to phase out sales of petrol and diesel cars in favor of electric vehicles (EVs). That put him at odds with a key plank of Whitehall plans to decarbonize transport and hit net zero goals.

Tomlinson was reshuffled into the energy post Friday to replace Graham Stuart, the latest minister to announce their resignation from Rishi Sunak’s government ahead of the upcoming general election. His ministerial brief includes oversight of the government’s net zero strategy — meaning he will now have to drive forward policy to scale up EV sales.

Tomlinson was one of 28 Tory MPs who previously voted against the EV legislation, alongside Craig Mackinlay — who leads a backbench caucus of MPs protesting against green policies — and former Energy Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The zero emissions vehicle mandate — which came into force in January this year — places a duty on car makers to hit EV production targets. Manufacturers will be whacked with a levy unless at least 22 percent of cars rolling out of their factories are electric this year, rising to 80 percent by 2030. 

The mandate was passed by a large majority of MPs thanks to support from the Labour Party.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has also raised concerns that manufacturers are not yet ready to hit these targets. But the mandate is seen as key to bringing down carbon emissions from road transport and encouraging investment in EV charge points. 

Tomlinson’s appointment comes as Sunak and Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho place net zero at the heart of their pitch to voters, pledging not to saddle homes with additional costs and carving out key dividing lines with the opposition Labour Party on green spending. 

Tomlinson and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero both declined to comment.