December 14, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
The United Kingdom’s Conservative Party has pledged to abandon the planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles if it wins the next general election, the party’s leader, Kemi Badenoch, declared in a strongly worded policy announcement reflecting growing political resistance to the country’s current net zero motoring strategy.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph and speaking to media outlets on Sunday, Badenoch said the proposed ban which aims to phase out the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2030 — amounts to what she described as “economic self-harm” and poses a risk to the UK’s automotive industry and consumer choice. She argued that the policy threatens jobs and investment in key manufacturing sectors unless it is reversed if the Tories return to power.
The ban forms part of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, a cornerstone of UK climate policy designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive a shift towards electric vehicles (EVs). It requires a rising share of car sales to be zero-emission models in the lead-up to the phase-out of petrol and diesel vehicle sales. Critics have said the mandate has pressured manufacturers and consumers amid slower-than-expected adoption of EVs and ongoing infrastructure challenges. see also earlier government context on ZEV policies and net zero planning).
Badenoch’s remarks echoed wider skepticism within parts of the Conservative base and among some industry stakeholders, who have called for more flexibility in the transition to low-emission vehicles. She framed the ban as out of step with market realities and with Britain’s broader economic interests, asserting that “freedom of choice” for consumers and support for innovation across hybrid, hydrogen, and other low-emission technologies should take precedence over rigid legislative deadlines.
Her statement arrives against a backdrop of shifting climate and automotive policy debates in Europe, where some national leaders including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, have campaigned to soften similar combustion engine bans on the continent, arguing that overly strict rules could undermine manufacturing competitiveness. The European Union itself is reported to be reconsidering elements of its ban on petrol and diesel vehicles, potentially extending timelines or modifying targets.
Opposition parties, including the governing Labour Party, have reaffirmed their support for retaining and enforcing environmental targets, including the phase-out of new polluting vehicles, viewing them as essential to meeting climate commitments. Labour and allied environmental advocates argue that maintaining a firm timetable will spur investment in EV infrastructure and support Britain’s transition to cleaner transport.
Badenoch’s declaration underscores the growing political contestation over climate policy in the UK ahead of the next general election, with motoring policy emerging as a flashpoint between parties focused on economic competitiveness and those prioritizing environmental commitments. How this debate will shape broader electoral outcomes and whether the Conservatives’ pledge will resonate with voters remains a key question as Britain’s political landscape evolves heading into 2026 and beyond.