Packham to challenge PM over net zero policy delays

The broadcaster Chris Packham has filed a High Court legal challenge to the government against a decision to weaken key climate policies. Packham, a veteran environmental campaigner, has applied for a judicial review of the government's decision to ditch the timetable for phasing out sales of new petrol- and diesel-powered cars and vans and to delay the phasing out of new gas boilers.

- LYDIA PATRICK

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it rejects Packham's claims and will "robustly" defend the challenge.

The measures and their schedule had been set out in the government's carbon budget delivery plan, which was put before parliament in March. In September, Rishi Sunak announced he would push back the ban on selling new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035, and that 20 per cent of households will be exempt from a ban on new gas boilers, arguing that he does not want to burden ordinary people with the costs of the energy transition.

Following the announcement, Packham wrote to the prime minister, the energy secretary and the transport secretary to challenge the decision, arguing that Mr Sunak does not have the legal right to change the timeline of carbon budget pledges at will, since the actioning of the carbon budget delivery plan is governed by statute.

Packham said he had not received a satisfactory response to his letter and therefore decided to file the judicial review application at the High Court.

He added that the government's response to his letter made clear that the decision had been made without public consultation, without informing the Climate Change Committee, without informing parliament and without providing any reasons for the delays to the policies.