UK Conservatives Criticize Badenoch’s Plans to Repeal Climate Change Act

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has sparked widespread criticism for her pledge to scrap the UK's landmark Climate Change Act 2008 if she wins power again, a move that would end legally binding carbon targets including net zero by 2050. Former Prime Minister Theresa May and other Tory grandees have condemned the plan as a "catastrophic mistake" and a "retrograde step," warning it undermines nearly two decades of bipartisan consensus on climate action. Ed Miliband criticized Badenoch's approach as harmful to workers, the economy, and future generations, emphasizing that the Climate Change Act had driven significant investment in British clean energy. Lord Deben, a former environment minister, stated that Margaret Thatcher would have been appalled by the proposal, highlighting her support for transitioning to new industries rather than abandoning climate commitments. Critics argue that repealing the act risks harming the UK's green economy, future investment, and jobs, while Badenoch claims the move would reduce costs and promote economic growth. The backlash underscores a deep divide within the Conservative Party over climate policy and the future direction of the UK's environmental commitments.