Rishi Sunak’s climate change claims from his leadership bid have really come back to bite him
Since winning the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election by a whisker, apparently over the ULEZ expansion, the Conservatives have leant right into painting green policies as something Labour wants to use to punish hardworking people.
Monday’s announcement of scores of new fossil fuel licences saw Rishi Sunak claim they could have their Net Zero cake and eat it.
I feel so much more secure knowing that foreign-owned companies will be receiving millions of quid in grants while extracting climate-destroying hydrocarbons. Rule Britannia.
And "licenses" – tut. pic.twitter.com/wMr2mraq81
— Paul (@PaulOnBooks) July 31, 2023
Had a very successful day telling lies about North Sea oil and gas and pretending I give a shit about climate change.
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) July 31, 2023
The planet burns, and Rishi Sunak stands by with a can of paraffin. His decision to expand North Sea drilling will not lead to cheaper energy bills. It will gift a fortune to rich energy firms and delight climate change deniers. A cynical con by a PM worse than Boris Johnson
— Mary Riddell (@MaryRiddell) August 1, 2023
When Rishi Sunak was campaigning to become the leader of the Conservative Party – and PM – he was singing a very different song.
👀A reminder of what Sunak told @AndrewMarr9 about climate change when he was bidding to become PM:
"I have two young girls, 9 and 11. The one thing they do ask me about is: What are you doing about the environment, Daddy?"
I wonder what he tells them nowadays.
Pass it on. ~AA pic.twitter.com/I1BCYVAH3B
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) August 1, 2023
“I believe in climate change. I believe in our target. As prime minister, I will continue to deliver on the agenda that we’ve set out. It’s one of the things that we’ve displayed global leadership in, which is fantastic, actually.”
If he thought everyone would forget what he’d said, he was very much mistaken.
Remember that debate between Truss & Sunak in the leadership bid?
Remember how the climate crisis was spoken about for under 2 mins?
Remember how quizzed on green issues Sunak said:
"I take advice on this from my 2 young daughters who are the experts on this in our household.”
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) July 31, 2023
2022: Rishi Sunak, "What are you doing for the climate daddy, what are you doing for the environment?"
2023: Rishi Sunak, "More licenses for the north sea." pic.twitter.com/6TWgntULAe
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) August 1, 2023
"Don't worry, mummy and daddy will pay for you to go in the space ark." https://t.co/tvs61OZHm9
— Jonny Morris 🔶 (@jonnymorris1973) August 1, 2023
The river of shame must run deep into this one…
— Robbie Scowls (@RScowler) August 1, 2023
"I'm burning it to a crisp for votes, girls. Now who wants ice cream?" https://t.co/SiSK03ViCe
— Oh God, What Now? – the politics podcast (@OhGodWhatNowPod) August 1, 2023
Stuzi 🐝🐝 mused on Sunak’s preferred form of transport.
Wonder if Rishi Sunak will buy his daughters a ‘My Little Helicopter’ for Xmas 🎅 https://t.co/4VBft6h0uw pic.twitter.com/tivoXL5nCE
— Stuzi 🐝🐝 (@stuzi_pants) August 1, 2023
We suspect My Big Helicopter is far more likely.
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Source Best For Britain Image Screengrab