Reform Party scraps city’s pledge to tackle climate change

REFORM UK councillors in County Durham have voted to abandon the council's commitment to tackling the climate emergency.

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The 2019 declaration was overturned following a proposal by Durham County Council's deputy leader Darren Grimes, despite resistance from fellow councillors across the political spectrum, along with environmental activists.

This move, ratified during Wednesday's county council assembly, marks one of the most divisive actions by the party since assuming leadership of the council and is reportedly unprecedented in the UK.

Coun Grimes said: “We are done with expensive virtue signalling tripe and care about our residents.”

The former council's environmental pledge was set to reach net zero emissions by 2045 and was part of the existing Climate Emergency Response Plan.

Reform had previously indicated that it would give precedence to alternative council services. In May, the party overhauled several principal council departments, including the elimination of climate change references from a significant cabinet portfolio.