Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, has promised to abandon the planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles if her party wins the next general election, calling the policy “economic self-harm” that could undermine Britain’s car industry.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Badenoch described the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate as a “well-meaning but ultimately destructive piece of legislation.” Under current law, all new cars sold in the UK must be electric or hybrid by 2030, as part of the country’s legally binding target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Badenoch argued that enforcing the transition through strict deadlines would harm domestic manufacturing while benefiting foreign competitors, particularly China.
“The only winners in this economic self-harm are China,” she said, warning that Britain risks ceding its automotive supply chains and industrial capacity to overseas rivals.
Her remarks followed a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been urging the EU to soften its plans to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles across the bloc by 2035.
Six EU nations, including Italy, have recently called for a rethink of the phase-out, citing concerns over industrial competitiveness.
Badenoch claimed the EU is already signalling a retreat from a full ban and cautioned that the UK could isolate itself by pressing ahead alone.
“By pressing ahead, we are placing our domestic industry at a disadvantage while giving others the opportunity to dominate global supply chains,” she said.
While stressing that a future Conservative government would still pursue cleaner transport, Badenoch said the shift must be guided by “affordability, practicality and technological progress,” rather than “unrealistic mandates that weaken domestic manufacturing and empower foreign competitors.”
She added that scrapping the ZEV mandate would give the UK “space” to rebuild its struggling car industry and adopt a more flexible approach to decarbonisation.
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The Labour-led government recently announced an extra £1.3 billion for the Electric Car Grant scheme to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves also unveiled plans for an Electric Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2028, charging 3 pence per mile for battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars.
The ban on petrol and diesel car sales was first introduced in 2020 under then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a policy Badenoch opposed as a cabinet member. The deadline was later extended to 2035 by Rishi Sunak, before Labour pledged in its 2024 manifesto to bring it forward again.
Reacting to Badenoch’s comments, a Department for Transport spokesperson said the government remains “committed to phasing out all new non-zero emission car and van sales,” noting that “more drivers than ever are choosing electric.”
The next UK general election must be held by 15 August 2029, though the Prime Minister may call an earlier vote.
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