Manufacturing groups have hit out at Rishi Sunak’s watering down of some of Britain’s net zero emission targets, describing the move as “a huge setback” to the sector.
The prime minister’s decision sent “entirely the wrong signal” and suggested that “we are simply going backwards”, said the leaders of 15 manufacturers’ trade bodies, including Make UK, the Construction Equipment Association and the Chemical Industries Association, in a letter to the Financial Times.
Sunak triggered a backlash — from parts of his own Conservative party as well as from environmental campaigners — when he announced last week that the government was relaxing some of its targets to address climate change.