Tories have voiced their criticism towards a fellow MP who resigned over the government's fossil fuels policy, triggering a by-election. One Tory MP accused the former net zero tsar of trying to curry favor with potential "green industry paymasters" by aligning himself with the Labour Party.
Resignation Sparks By-Election
Chris Skidmore, the former MP for Kingswood, officially quit Parliament after announcing his resignation from the Tory whip due to the government's plans to issue new oil and gas licenses. His resignation has triggered a by-election, along with the resignation of Peter Bone, which means Rishi Sunak will face a double by-election challenge in mid-February.
Criticism from Within the Conservative Party
A Tory MP criticized Skidmore's actions, stating that they are "venal and inappropriate for an MP." The MP accused Skidmore of trying to win favor with green industry paymasters while not disclosing any interests in the green sector. Skidmore, who previously served as the energy minister, signed the UK's net zero commitment into law.
Skidmore's Reasons for Resignation
Skidmore explained his decision to resign, stating that he cannot support a bill that promotes the production of new oil and gas. He believes that action needs to be taken to address the unsustainable status quo. Skidmore, who held an 11,000 majority, has left party politics behind and plans to continue campaigning for net zero on a cross-party basis.
Labour will be hoping to overturn Skidmore's majority in the upcoming by-election.
