The biggest story of the Tory conference wasn’t about a gaffe or a controversial statement. It was about something that wasn’t said, and the person who didn’t say it. Rishi Sunak’s silence on net zero is a big deal, as the next few weeks will prove.
The Chancellor didn’t mention net zero in his conference speech. So what, you might ask? After all, it’s an environmental thing and he’s Chancellor, right? No. net zero is an economic story, and a big one. It’s about growth, investment, public spending, tax and jobs. According to Sunak’s Treasury:
This will be a collective effort, requiring changes from households, businesses and government. It will require substantial investment and significant changes to how people live their lives. This transformation will also create opportunities for the UK economy. New industries and jobs will emerge as existing sectors decarbonise or give way to low-carbon equivalents.
Why is Sunak so quiet on such a big economic story? Some of his colleagues suspect a narrow political calculation: let Boris own net zero
Net zero and climate policies are going to be the big story of the coming weeks.
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