Heidi Alexander was instrumental in bringing forward the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales to 2030. The move was a key Labour manifesto pledge and has started to become one of the party’s flagship policies. However, experts are already admitting the party has nowhere to go now that Europe has made the first move. Motorists are also appalled by the decision and want it to go no further with a YouGov poll shwoing 58% of motorists oppose the new rule.

Labour needs to start listening to industry and British consumers and pause the ban for now. Electric cars have a lot to offer, but shouldn’t they earn the right to grace UK roads through free market and fair competition and not simply given a free pass to the top just because of their emissions tallies?

Brian Gregory, policy director at the Alliance of British Drivers, said: “This makes the Government’s stance untenable. We would be destroying our automotive industry and the whole supply chain for no good purpose.

“The UK should step back from the abyss and continue supporting its manufacturers, because if we don’t, we’ll have no car industry left.”

Andy Palmer, the former CEO of Aston Martin, also suggested that the UK would likely feel compelled to align with the EU on the policy, as it no longer controls its car industry. Earlier this year, Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer was among those who predicted that the petrol and diesel car ban would inevitably be delayed. 

Meanwhile, manufacturers such as BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have been among firms calling for action to avoid strict deadlines. A Downing Street spokesperson supposedly suggested that there were “more drivers than ever choosing electric” in a passionate defence of why they intend to stick to the plan.

While numbers are still up, the rate of growth in EV sales has slowed in recent months, with November sales increasing by just 3.6% compared to 2024. It suggests that motorists who want electric cars already have them, and those on the fence aren’t being convinced.

A Government spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “We remain committed to phasing out all new non-zero emission car and van sales by 2035. More drivers than ever are choosing electric, and November saw another month of increased sales with EV’s accounting for one in four cars sold.

“We’re investing over £7.5 billion to support drivers and manufacturers make the switch to zero emission. This includes £4 billion investment to back British manufacturing and R&D, create jobs, and drive growth in the sector. Our Electric Car Grant is making it cheaper than ever to choose an EV, with over 40,000 drivers saving up to £3,750 since launch, backed by an extra £1.3 billion announced at the Autumn Budget.”

Labour now has another threat to worry about, one that until recently looked like a harmless obstacle. The Conservatives and Kemi Badenoch’s pledge to scrap the petrol and diesel car ban and support British manufacturers could be detrimental to Labour.

It’s the kind of populist policy that could garner real traction among the UK’s 42million drivers who rely on their vehicles day in and day out.