Why are only two Tory MPs making a stand against the oil and gas bill? - Yorkshire Post Letters

There are around 150 Conservative MPs in the Conservative Environment Network - however only two to my knowledge have taken a stand against the Government’s Offshore Petroleum Licencing Bill - Chris Skidmore and Alok Sharma.

Skidmore said: “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.”

Consequently he has resigned.

Sharma said that ministers should “reflect on the consistency of their message and credibility internationally when just a few weeks ago at COP28 the UK signed-up to ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems.’”

Well said.

This bill is a disgrace to the UK. It makes a mockery of all international agreements on climate. It flies in the face of scientific advice from the Committee for Climate Change, the Government’s statutory advisors. It is completely contrary to the advice of the International Energy Agency who say we cannot extract oil and gas from new fields without worsening climate breakdown and escalating the risk to humanity, while at the same time committing ourselves to astronomical costs of clearing up after climate disasters.

And yet only two Conservatives have stood against it. Where are all these committed environmentalists from CEN?

Every MP who votes for this bill is betraying their country, their country’s international reputation and the safety of humanity globally.

If they vote in favour of this bill they reinforce their unfitness to be lawmakers - yet another reason for a sound thrashing at the next election, losing their seats and privilege in the process. May it be so.