Boris Johnson is attacking “prejudices” against environmental policies by rejecting the idea of abolishing green levies on household energy bills to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Senior Tories, including Steve Baker, who called on Johnson to resign over Partygate’s revelations, called on the prime minister to remove taxes expected to cost around £ 153 a household this year and used to fund energy efficiency and renewables. . .
Other conservatives, including former Brexit minister David Frost and party chairman Oliver Dowden, have opposed what Dowden recently called the “zero clean energy dogma.”
But when asked about reports that the government may abolish green taxes, Johnson seems to have taken a side kick against skeptical colleagues.
“This is very important what I am saying – there is a lot of prejudice against the green agenda,” he said. “In fact, green technology, green, sustainable electricity can help reduce bills. All in all, if you look at what we’ve done with renewables, it has helped reduce bills over the last few years and will continue to do so. ”
He added: “That’s why one of the things I want to do is use this moment to really focus on more offshore wind turbines.”
In addition to the fee on household bills, energy companies pay a fee of £ 1 billion, an obligation of the energy company to finance insulation projects. Experts recently warned that scrapping it could cost more than 30,000 jobs.
Government sources said both measures are based on long-term contracts, and the only practical way to reduce household spending would be for the Finance Ministry to cover them instead, something Rishi Sunak is reluctant to do.
Tory MPs have become increasingly vocal in their skepticism about the government’s green policies since the Cop26 summit in Glasgow last autumn, with divisions over winds and the controversial fracking practice some cabinet ministers want to see revived.
A group of Tory members, including Baker, formed the Net Zero Scrutiny Group to put pressure on ministers on some of the measures needed to deliver on Cop26’s promises.
Baker responded to reports that green taxes could be abolished earlier this week, saying: “Making society poorer and colder never seemed to survive contact with voters.
Frost, who resigned in December, has since been highly critical of Johnson’s position on a number of issues. He recently called on the prime minister to remove “neo-socialists, green fanatics and the awakened mob” from Downing Street.
The government is under increasing pressure to take new action to mitigate the impact of rising food, fuel and other commodity prices. Rishi Sunak has been criticized for not doing enough to help struggling families cope with rising costs in last month’s spring statement.
But Johnson defended the chancellor, who is widely reported to be considering resigning after receiving notice of a fixed sanction for attending Johnson’s birthday party.
Asked if Sunak would still be in place in the fall, when government sources speculated that there may be new measures to help low-income households, Johnson said: “The answer is yes.”
Asked if emergency measures could be introduced before the fall, when energy prices are expected to rise sharply again, Johnson said: “We will do everything we can to help people overcome Covid’s aftershocks, as during of the pandemic.
He refused to be involved in securing the future of all other cabinet ministers, amid speculation that he could relocate his top team before the summer recess.
“Rule number one: don’t talk about politicians, talk about what politicians can do for the electorate,” he told reporters. “Let’s talk about what we’re doing, and let’s not talk about who’s going to do it.
However, he praised the Home Secretary for her widely criticized migration policy, which seeks asylum seekers arriving in the UK facing deportation to Rwanda.
Concerned about whether Priti Patel’s work was safe, he said: “You will not know more about the politicians or the policy of Westminster, which is closely thought out. We need to focus on the country’s agenda. “
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