Iceland Boss Accuses Rishi Sunak Of "Neo-Trumpian" Climate Politics

A former Tory donor and supermarket boss who recently switched his support to Labour has accused Rishi Sunak of a "neo-Trumpian" approach to climate politics, but defended Keir Starmer's decision to scrap the £28bn figure from the green investment pledge as "entirely sensible".

Writing for The House, Iceland executive chairman Richard Walker strongly criticised the Conservative party, which he used to support, of "weaponising" climate change and trying to turn it into a "wedge issue" for "short-term political gain".

"Good Tories like Chris Skidmore, who quit Parliament over the issue, know that weaponising the environment in this way can never be in anyone’s interests. It will cost the Conservatives dearly at the ballot box," the Iceland boss wrote.

"At their worst, the Tories – Sunak included – are neo-Trumpian deniers ready to stir divisiveness over climate change with shameful fake news about ‘meat taxes’ and seven bins."

Voters in Kingswood, Skidmore's former constituency will go to the polls in a by-election today after the former Tory MP resigned in protest to the government's Oil and Gas Bill which seeks to liberalise access to environmentally damaging fossil fuels. 

Labour has also recently faced criticism over its approach to tackling climate change after they admitted they would no longer be able to commit to spending £28bn a year on achieving its Green Prosperity Plan, although the core pillars of the proposal, such as achieving clean energy by 2030, remain. 

Walker, who has recently declared his support for Keir Starmer's party, said Labour's decision to scrap the price tag was the right one after Liz Truss' calamitous mini-budget sent interest rates sorrowing and made the pledge unaffordable.

While Starmer and