Tory former minister and Net Zero tsar Chris Skidmore announces he will quit as an MP ‘as soon as possible’ in blast at Rishi Sunak for promoting new oil and gas drilling
By David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline[1]
Published: 17:46, 5 January 2024 | Updated: 18:21, 5 January 2024
Former Tory minister Chris Skidmore is to quit Parliament ‘as soon as possible’ in protest at Government support for new new oil and gas drilling.
The Kingwood MP is the former Net Zero tsar and a strong supporter of environmental issues. He has previously criticised the government for slowing action against climate change[2].
In a statement he attacked the PM’s Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill, which opens the way to new drilling for oil and gas in UK waters and which is due to start its way through Parliament next week.
He had already announced he would stand down at the next election, but now seems set to present Rishi Sunak[3] with yet another by-election headache.
The Tories[4] are already facing spring by-elections in Wellingborough and Blackpool South constituencies they held in 2019.
Mr Skidmore won with an 11,220 majority over Labour[5] but the seat is due to be abolished at the next general election. So any elected MP might only be in place for a matter of months.
The MP told the PA news agency he plans to formally quit when Parliament returns from its Christmas[6] break on Monday.
The Kingwood MP is a strong supporter of environmental issues and has previously criticised the government for slowing its action against climate change .
He had already announced he would stand down at the next election, but now seems set to present Rishi Sunak with yet another by-election headache.
In a lengthy statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, he said: ‘This Bill would in effect allow more frequent new oil and gas licences and the increased production of new fossil fuels in the North Sea.
It is a Bill that I have already stated my opposition to, by not voting in the King’s Speech debate in protest at the Bill’s inclusion in the Government’s legislative programme.
‘As the former energy minister who signed the UK’s net zero commitment by 2050 into law, I cannot vote for a Bill that clearly promotes the production of new oil and gas.’
He went on: ‘To fail to act, rather than merely speak out, is to tolerate a status quo that cannot be sustained. I am therefore resigning my party whip and instead intend to be free from any party-political allegiance.’
The MP for Kingswood, in Gloucestershire, added that his decision to resign the whip meant his constituents ‘deserve the right to elect a new Member of Parliament’.
He said: ‘I therefore will be standing down from Parliament as soon as possible.’
Mr Skidmore warned MPs who vote for the Bill next week that the future will judge them ‘harshly’.
His statement went on: ‘It is a tragedy that the UK has been allowed to lose its climate leadership, at a time when our businesses, industries, universities and civil society organisations are providing first-class leadership and expertise to so many across the world, inspiring change for the better.
‘I cannot vote for the Bill next week. The future will judge harshly those that do.
At a time when we should be committing to more climate action, we simply do not have any more time to waste promoting the future production of fossil fuels that is the ultimate cause of the environmental crisis that we are facing.’
Labour’s shadow climate change minister Ed Miliband said: ‘Well done to Chris Skidmore for standing up to this desperate Conservative government.
Their irresponsible, reckless attempt to double down on fossil fuels won’t cut bills, undermines energy security and is a climate disaster.’
References
- ^ David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ climate change (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Rishi Sunak (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Tories (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Labour (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Christmas (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Christmas (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Conservatives (www.dailymail.co.uk)