British MPs criticize PM over delay to ban on gas-fueled cars

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's announcement of a delay to the phasing out of petrol-driven vehicles has been criticized by a committee of lawmakers in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom (UK), who called the move "disappointing," reported Xinhua.

Philip Dunne, chair of the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee, fired a lengthy letter at Sunak on Monday.

"The transition to net zero is one of the greatest challenges facing the UK. The decision to delay some targets, such as the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, is disappointing," Dunne said in the letter.

In a recent keynote speech, Sunak announced his plan to change the deadline for the phasing out of petrol and diesel-fueled vehicles from 2030 to 2035.

Dunne said the committee was concerned that the announcement was not accompanied by a clear plan setting out how the UK's decarbonization commitments will now be met. The committee has today called for a revised Carbon Budget Delivery Plan to be urgently produced, he added.

The lawmaker underlined that government ministers had previously supported the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, citing an estimated boost to the economy of around 4.2 billion pounds (5.09 billion U.S. dollars), as well as the creation of up to 40,000 jobs. He called on Sunak to set out the government's latest projections for the impact on the economy and employment levels of postponing the ban to 2035.