Government plans to impose jail sentences on homeowners who fail to comply with eco guidelines have come under fire from Car26 director Lois Perry.
It comes after nine Conservative MPs rebelled against the Government to oppose the flagship Energy Bill at third reading, with some calling it a “recipe for energy disaster”.
Green campaigners have grown concerned that the leading political class could jettison policies aimed at cleaning up the air and decarbonising the economy after the Tories won the Uxbridge by-election off the back of campaigning against the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (Ulez) expansion.
Perry believes the bill is simply a “power grab” that will give the Government “more power” over lives.
WATCH LOIS PERRY'S INTERVIEW BELOW
“This is really scary. The Government wants to make certain things a criminal offence”, she said.
“I think they’ve got a bit power hungry. It’s Orwellian. Can you believe this has been brought in by a Conservative Government?
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
“Imagine what the Labour Party will do with this. They’re communists!
“It could be legally challenged, but who is going to?”
Nigel Farage questioned Perry over her assertion, saying that many would argue that we face a climate crisis, and such radical measures could therefore be necessary to stave off the global warming threat.
“It’s nonsense”, she said on GB News.
The new bill encourages wind farms
PA“China and India aren’t paying a blind bit of notice to this, even if you do believe in climate change.
“If you actually look through history, there’s been times where C02 levels have been higher.
“Even if you do buy into the narrative, its completely nonsensical.
“This is about the deindustrialisation of the West, it really is.”
The state opening of Parliament in November will see the King’s Speech, which could signal the Government’s net zero intent in the lead up to the general election, which is expected next year, according to Tory MP Chris Skidmore.
Asked if the Conservative Party could row back on its net zero stance ahead of the election, Skidmore said: “The challenge is that Ulez was not a net zero measure so (we need to make) sure that there isn’t any sort of ability to claim that more green projects costs rather than benefits.”
“The reality is it’s a tiny, tiny microscopic fragment of the Tory party that tends to go on the news and dominate the airways,” he added.
“It would be a significant mistake if the Tory party was to listen to those who don’t represent the rest of the country and certainly don’t represent the future opportunities that investing in net zero and green growth can provide.”
