"Tories Criticize Rishi Sunak's Climate U-turn as Self-Serving"

Senior Tory figures and political observers have criticized UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak's recent reversals and delays to net zero policy, warning that it will lead to dangerous culture wars and undermine the longstanding cross-party consensus on climate change. Sunak's announcement of a five-year delay to the ban on new petrol and diesel cars, as well as a watering-down of the phase-out of gas boilers, has been seen as an attempt to create divisions and turn the environment into a wedge issue. Critics argue that sacrificing the environment for culture wars is cynical and irresponsible, while polls show that the majority of the UK public values cross-party consensus on climate action.