Green Tories warn Rishi Sunak not to junk Net Zero targets in a panic over Reform and Nigel Farage as poll suggests keeping climate pledges could help win back more lost 2019 voters than ditching them

Rishi Sunak is today facing pressure from green Tories not to junk Net Zero policies in a panic over the return of Nigel Farage, arguing it could cost the party more votes than it saves.

Polling commissioned by the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) suggests that watering down environmental pledges would make little difference to former Tories now supporting Reform.

It shows that rightwing voters who have made the switch overwhelmingly see immigration as their main concern and changes to green policies will make little difference to how they vote.

In contrast, the polling suggests 2019 Tories who have switched to Labour in numbers similar to those backing Reform are more likely to return if Mr Sunak strengthens the environmental pitch.

Mr Sunak has made Reform switchers the fain focus of the early part of the election campaign with a slew of policies designed to win them back. In last night's ITV leaders debate he said keeping down family bills was his priority. 

It comes as the organisation backed by more than 100 Tory politicians urges the PM to be bold with his election manifesto and make a patriotic Conservative appeal to climate-conscious voters.

Among recommendations are making solar panels compulsory on all new domestic and building premises to increase energy security and make Britain less reliant on foreign oil and gas.

It also backs using Brexit freedoms to prevent EU trawlers from damaging UK marine wildlife, and give councils the powers and funding to create 'wildbelt' local nature recovery zones around towns and cities, and sell off disused public space to create more.

Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, said: 'We have long known that conservatives intuitively understand their responsibility to hand on a healthy environment to their children and grandchildren. This polling reaffirms that action on the environment and the net zero goal are popular with most of the 2019 Conservative voter coalition.

'It demonstrates how the Conservative Party will struggle to win back many Reform UK switchers in this election campaign by promising to weaken climate policies. Reform UK voters are split on climate change policy and in any case are overwhelmingly motivated by immigration.  

'The polling also illustrates how failing to set out a strong climate policy agenda in the manifesto would be a significant missed opportunity to win back 2019 voters who have defected to Labour.

'To maximise their vote share at the election, the party should be seeking to champion their environmental record and set out an ambitious and practical plan to build on their achievements from this parliament. This will help them build the trust of voters that they are delivering on their environmental commitments. 

'There is a particular opportunity to double down on their success to date with the UK renewables sector, which is popular with 2019 Conservative voters, by pledging to keep expanding capacity and attracting more investment into the supply chain.'

The analysis of more than 2,000 voters by CT Group for the Conservative Environment Network found that 72 per cent of Labour switchers said Net Zero emissions will affect how they vote.

In contrast just 2 per cent of Reform voters listed the environment as a major concern, and are more concerned about measures such as immigration. 

However, 90 per cent say that energy security is important to how they vote, after years of rising bills and the war in Ukraine.

Last September Mr Sunak announced he was pushing back the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles to 2035 and scrapping plans to force landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.

The PM also promised a new exemption for around one-fifth of households from having to replace their gas boilers with low-carbon alternatives.

He claimed his action would save households up to £15,000 over the coming years, - though he insisted Britain would still meet its Net Zero target by 2050.

However the Climate Change Committee, an independent body that advises the Government on emissions targets, said the changes risked increasing bill and made it less likely the 2050 target would be met.

After last night's debate, Jess Ralston, energy analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said: 'It is misleading to suggest that the Prime Minister's various U-turns on Net Zero policies will save all households thousands of pounds. 

'In many cases they make no difference and in some they could cost people money. For example, scrapping minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented properties may mean landlords save money by not insulating their properties adequately, but will likely leave renters paying more on their energy bills. '

In its pre-election pitch to Rishi Sunak CEN says that Conservatives should 'celebrate and feel pride' in measures they have introduced and 'not cede environmental leadership to the left' at the expense of the taxpayer.

In its 10-point plan it sets out areas in which the party could move forward, which include changing building standards rules to make solar panels compulsory on domestic and commercial new builds.

It argues that the cost to buyers is paid back in  10 years through lower energy bills and the rule change should be coupled with increases to the minimum price homeowners get for sending excess power to the grid. It also calls for an extension of the grant scheme for farmers to install panels on barns.

In calling for more areas of 'wildbelt' it recommends: 'The zones should encompass not only larger-scale projects such as woodlands, but a range of smaller urban and semi-urban habitats, from roadside verges, street trees, and rain gardens, to old cemeteries, wetlands, and pockets parks...

'At the same time, statutory guidance for councils should be updated to empower them to manage their green spaces for nature (for instance, by not over-mowing verges, establishing wilder margins around playing fields, rewilding under-used areas of public land, and planting more street trees along local authority-controlled roads).

'Finally, the government should offer community groups the chance to buy at a discount disused public land or ownerless land for the purpose of restoring nature near to where people live.'

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