Rishi Sunak loses ANOTHER Tory MP as ex-minister rages at PM's climate plans
Rishi Sunak loses ANOTHER Tory MP as ex-minister rages at PM's climate plans
PA
A Tory minister has resigned over new legislation "that promotes the production of new oil and gas".
Chris Skidmore, who signed the UK's Net Zero pledge into law, announced today that he would withdraw the Conservative whip and stand down as an MP.
By stepping down from his role, a by-election will be triggered in his Kingswood seat in Gloucestershire.
The ex-energy minister has stepped ahead of a vote on a bill on Monday that plans to issue more oil and gas licences.
Skidmore warned MPs who vote for the legislation that the future will judge them "harshly"
PA
The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill, which Skidmore objects to, would guarantee annual licensing rounds.
"The bill would in effect allow more frequent new oil and gas licences and the increased production of new fossil fuels in the North Sea," he said on social media as he announced his resignation.
"I can no longer stand by. The climate crisis that we face is too important to politicise or to ignore."
Skidmore warned MPs who vote for the legislation that the future will judge them "harshly".
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He said: "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."
Skidmore said he would resign the Conservative whip to make him an independent "as soon as possible".
He confirmed that he would quit "next week when Parliament is back", as the Commons is still on its Christmas recess until next week.
Rishi Sunak setting out his net zero policyPAHe has previously warned that the bill will stop climate-conscious Britons from voting for the Tories at the next general election.
Skidmore wants the Government to focus on transitioning to cleaner energy practices in its place.
He has been an MP since the Conservatives came to power in 2010.
Under Boris Johnson, he served as energy minister and has been a major Conservative voice on climate issues.