Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has hit out at the Tory leader (Image: Getty)
insisted was “fooling no-one” after she warned reaching net zero by 2050 is not possible. The Conservative leader made the comment in a major speech this morning as she launched a “policy renewal” process for the party.
But Reform UK leader Mr Farage, whose party had already pledged to ditch the target, accused her of desperation. The Clacton MP said: “Kemi is fooling no one. Let’s not forget that she happily waved through Conservative government legislation on this, including enshrining net zero by 2050 into law.
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Kemi Badenoch warned reaching net zero by 2050 is not possible (Image: Getty)
“If she truly believed this would bankrupt the country, why didn’t she voice her opposition sooner? This is a desperate policy from a leader and party floundering in the polls in an attempt to hitch themselves onto Reform’s momentum.
“We have been consistent from the start: scrap net zero and save our country from economic catastrophe. Only Reform will cut your energy bills.”
In her speech this morning, Mrs Badenoch declared that it was time to “get real” about net zero.
She said: “Net zero by 2050 is impossible. I don’t say that with pleasure. I want a better future and a better environment for our children, but we have to get real. Without the rest of the world doing the same we are making our country less safe, less secure and less resilient.”
The Tory leader hit out at Reform UK, which she said “don’t have real answers to our country’s challenges, that’s why their energy policy fell apart right after they announced it”.
She said she is not going to “rush out” and set a target to reach net zero, adding: “Why is it 2050 in the first place? No-one knows.”
She said the would come out with new policies at some point which could focus on a better way of delivering net zero or just focusing on clean energy and energy security.
She also insisted she has not changed her mind after showing support for the net zero by 2050 target in government.
“I haven’t changed my mind. What you are describing is collective responsibility.”