Monday briefing: Why Rishi Sunak stopped worrying about the climate crisis
In todays newsletter: The prime minister has tactically retreated from talking about the environment but is it a route to electoral success? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First Edition Good morning. A sense of despondency is permeating Conservative party HQ. The government is flailing after losing two byelections and winning a third by the narrowest of margins. Inflation is not coming down as quickly as they would have hoped. The partys small boats bill suffered a series of defeats in the House of Lords last month, as Channel crossings by people seeking asylum hit record highs. And senior Tories are expecting MPs to quit in droves before the next election after years of political chaos and turmoil have left them exhausted. Rishi Sunak knows that, with an election looming, he needs to come up with a strategy and create a clear dividing line between his party and Labour. And it seems as though the lesson the prime minister has taken from that slim byelection victory in Uxbridge and South Ruislip where opposition to an extension of Londons ultra-low emission zone formed the central plank of the campaign is that taking aim at the green agenda is a route to electoral success. Sunak has suggested that his government is willing to roll back, delay and even abandon climate policies that could come at a cost to consumers and spent the weekend burnishing his pro-car credentials , with plans to restrict local councils ability to institute a host of traffic calming and environmental measures. For todays newsletter, I spoke to Guardian environment reporter Helena Horton about the governments apparent opposition to its own climate agenda. Thats right after the headlines. Society | The financial cost of the Grenfell Tower disaster has reached nearly 1.2bn 4,000 times the amount that was saved by replacing fire-retardant cladding with a cheaper combustible alternative during the disastrous refurbishment. Most of the cost is coming from the public purse, dwarfing the compensation to the bereaved and survivors paid by companies involved in wrapping the west London councils block in combustible materials. Pakistan | At least 44 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in a bomb blast in the north-west of Pakistan that targeted a political party gathering. Police said the explosion was caused by a suicide bomb, adding that the initial investigations suggested the Islamic State group (IS) could be behind the attack, though investigations are ongoing. No group has claimed responsibility. NHS | A leading spinal surgeons botched operations left patients with serious blood loss, long-term pain and mobility problems, a damning report has revealed. It found that John Bradley Williamsons unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour severely or moderately harmed 20 patients at Salford Royal hospital, once regarded as one of Englands safest. Finance | The biggest regulatory shake-up of UK retail financial services for two decades will come into force on Monday in an effort to crack down on rip-offs and poor customer service. Experts are predicting that some older financial products that do not meet the new standards are likely to be removed from sale. Policing | The Metropolitan police is expanding its use of precision policing , an approach that uses crime data to focus police activity, in an effort to remove some of the most serious criminals from the streets. The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, has said that the era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has arrived , in response to the devastating heatwaves and wildfires that have affected many countries. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the EUs Copernicus Earth observation programme have confirmed that July is on track to be the hottest month ever recorded. And its only going to get worse, unless urgent action is taken. So why is the UK government deciding that now is the moment to call into question policies that, according to experts, should have been put in place years ago? On the chopping block Reaching net zero the point at which your carbon emissions are matched by efforts to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere was a flagship target for this Conservative government. But the prime minister has indicated the Tories could delay it. Even though the governments pledge to reduce the UKs greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels by 2050 has already been enshrined in law, Sunak said the government would move away from an ideological view of net zero. Instead it would aim to work towards it in a more affordable, proportionate and pragmatic way. The Conservatives seem to be more concerned with giving businesses tax breaks and permission to extract more oil and gas in the future than with helping build more renewable sources of energy, says Helena. That certainly explains plans to maximise extraction from the North Seas oil and gas stores. In fact, the prime minister will be reportedly using his visit to north-east Scotland to announce government plans to issue 100 licences for companies that want to extract oil and gas from the North Sea. The Climate Change Committee has already warned that not enough progress is being made to reach the 2050 target and that the expansion of fossil fuel production is not in line with net zero. The other policies on the table to be watered down or abandoned entirely include the 2030 target of phasing out petrol and diesel cars, ensuring rental properties are energy efficient , banning gas boilers in new builds from 2025, the hydrogen levy , low-traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph speed limits. Almost all are policies that the Conservative government pushed at one time or another. A dividing line The Uxbridge and South Ruislip byelection gave those in the Conservative party who were already not keen on the green agenda ammunition to effectively say this issue does not resonate with voters. But upon closer inspection, this argument does not seem particularly strong. The Conservatives did keep the seat, but by just 495 votes down from 7,210 in the 2019 general election. I think theyre using it as an excuse to show that green policies are unpopular in order to draw a line between themselves and Labour, Helena says. Shouting about being pro-driver is a convenient fig leaf. This shift may not serve them well. A survey conducted by the polling company Ipsos found that eight in 10 Britons are concerned about climate change, seven in 10 believe that we are already feeling the effects of climate change and half think the net zero target needs to be brought forward. Another poll found that most people do not think the government is doing enough to combat the crisis. There has been polling that shows that people who are switching from Conservatives to Labour are doing it partly because the Tories are not doing enough on climate, Helena adds. Conservative claims about the cost of a greener economy also gets short shrift from Helena: If you look at what other countries are doing, China is building massive amounts of solar farms, America is investing heavily in renewables and Europe is trying to match Americas funding on renewables. Thats the new economy. Thats the new industrial revolution. She believes the pivot on the climate agenda is an indication that the Conservatives are panicking and running out of new ideas: They are kind of tapped out they are at the end of 13 years in power and the only real arguments they have are negative ones. A split in the party Last week, Helena interviewed the former Conservative environment minister Zac Goldsmith, who says he resigned from the party because of Sunaks apathy around climate policy. Goldsmith (pictured above) was blunt in his criticisms: he called Michael Gove a monster if he continued to trash green policies while understanding the urgency of the climate crisis. Its just the most visible example of the growing rift in the Conservative party around the climate crisis, which Tory-watcher Katy Balls explored in this comment piece on Friday. Over the weekend a group of 43 Tory MPs and peers wrote to Sunak asking him to delay the 2030 timetable for ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, although so far hes resisted that call, insisting again yesterday that there are no plans for a shift. There are Tory MPs who have been arguing against these policies for some time but they were a minority, Helena says. She says that when the Conservative party has its back against the wall it tends to defer to the more rightwing factions. I think thats whats happening now, and Rishi Sunak is someone whos easily played on these issues, because, as Zac Goldsmith said, he doesnt really care about climate change, Helena says. And hes pulling other senior cabinet ministers along with him. Gove for instance was at one point a supporter of environmental policies when he was at Defra now he describes net zero as a cost to the consumer and compares environmental policies to a religious crusade. A crucial 12 months With a general election fast approaching, it may seem that any attempts by the government to roll back climate policies will ultimately be short-lived if Labour secures the victory many are predicting it will. But inaction is not an option when much of the world is already facing the impacts of the climate crisis. A year doesnt seem like a long time but every year that passes is another where we havent moved towards meeting net zero by 2050, Helena says. And, on the flip side, a year is plenty of time to muddy the waters politically and spread climate misinformation. It was common consensus at Cop26 that net zero is really important and that it should be put in place as quickly as possible. But now as the Conservative start backsliding on it, Labour might spook too and then they could get into power as the political landscape and perhaps the public conversation moves away from supporting this policy, Helena says. The UK is still looked upon for leadership on climate issues, says Helena. If it is seen to be backing away from its commitments other countries are less likely to have the same impetus to decarbonise. Its just another example of the UK stepping back from the world stage and diminishing its responsibility to others. For exclusive reporting on the climate crisis from Helena and the Guardian environment team, sign up here to receive Down to Earth every Thursday Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you whats happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Anna Moores interview with Andrea Constand the Bill Cosby accuser whose testimony put him behind bars highlights her determination in bringing him to justice. Hannah J Davies, deputy editor, newsletters US footballer Megan Rapinoe has established herself as a global superstar because of her progressive politics, her undeniable talent on the field and her charm. Hannah Jane Parkinson takes a look Rapinoes evolving style and what it says about her as a person. Nimo Rishi Sunak tried to buy a Coke by flapping a bank card: I thoroughly agree with Emma Beddington on why the super rich s love of avoiding human interaction makes for a thoroughly dull life. 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PM gives green light for more North Sea drilling thats the Times while the Financial Times has Britain makes it cheaper to pollute by watering down carbon market scheme. Most households struggling to pay for food and bills as another rate rise looms says the i today. 50,000 extra families to face IHT is the Daily Telegraphs top story about inheritance tax. 10bn boost from scrapping tourist tax the benefit to the economy if visitors enjoyed VAT-free shopping, says the Daily Mail . Putin peace bombshell the Metro contrasts the Russian president saying hes open to talks, with his close ally Dmitry Medvedev saying Russia will need to use nuclear weapons if Ukraines counteroffensive succeeds. Dont let my sons death be for nothing another heartbreaking instalment in the Daily Mirrors campaign against killer dogs. End this farce! Three hours on hold for tax office the Daily Express presents the results of its own call handling probe. The novelist who became a war crimes investigator and uncovered a secret diary Victoria Amelina was an award-winning novelist. But after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, she began investigating war crimes including the disappearance of a much-loved childrens author Sign up for Inside Saturday to see more of Edith Pritchetts cartoons, the best Saturday magazine content and an exclusive look behind the scenes A bit of good news to remind you that the worlds not all bad Now 74, Roger Mairlot was almost 60 when a chance encounter led to an exciting new chapter of his life. The car mechanic had been a big music lover in his younger years, but his interest was eclipsed over time by family and work life. That was until he befriended two people on their way to a Joan Baez concert, and began gigging almost every night of the week, getting to grips with the internet to find out when acts would be on tour. As he tells Paula Cocozza in the latest edition of the Guardians A new start after 60 column , going to shows alone doesnt feel lonely quite the opposite in fact. You meet people, on trains, at gigs, waiting for buses, he says. You see a bit of life. Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday And finally, the Guardians puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day with plenty more on the Guardians Puzzles app for iOS and Android . Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply