Net zero main act on ‘Rolling Thunder’ tour
THE former energy minister who signed net zero into law is planning a ‘Rolling Thunder’ tour of the UK to promote the benefits of cutting carbon.
Chris Skidmore, Conservative MP for Kingswood, near Bristol, said supporters of net zero needed to “get away from the doom-mongering” if they were to counter disinformation and “populist” opposition to the Government’s plans.
His plans will see him tour the country, visiting green infrastructure projects such as wind farms, solar farms and rewilding projects to point out the opportunities presented by the drive for net zero.
Mr Skidmore said the tour would allow MPs to “get out of Westminster” and “demonstrate the impact that net zero would have locally in terms of economic regeneration” by providing jobs and investment. He said: “In the past, net zero has only been viewed as a cost, so it’s about how do you shift that opportunity to show on paper where renewables are coming down and returning money to people’s back pockets.”
He added: “I’m beginning to plan this opportunity to go region by region around the country and actually reach outside the national media and go to the local press, and I’ll try and run this Rolling Thunder net zero tour for as long as I can.”
Mr Skidmore’s plans are in part a reaction to pressure from some Conservatives to dilute the Government’s net zero plans, including from the Conservative Net Zero Scrutiny Group led by South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay and backed by Brexit campaigner Steve Baker.
In response, Mr Skidmore established his own Net Zero Support Group in January to rival Mr Mackinlay’s group and promote net zero. He