Yahoo News Zac Goldsmith Resigns And Launches Attack On Rishi Sunak
Zac Goldsmith has resigned from the government, saying he was “horrified” at Rishi Sunak for having ditched promises to protect the environment.
The Tory peer quit his job as a Foreign Office minister on Friday morning and accused the prime minister of having “withdrawn our leadership on climate and nature”.
“The problem is not that the government is hostile to the environment, it is that you, our prime minister, are simply uninterested,” he said.
“Having been able to get so much done previously, I have struggled even to hold the line in recent months.
“This government’s apathy in the face of the greatest challenge we have faced makes continuing in my current role untenable.”
Goldsmith said he was “horrified as, bit by bit” Sunak had “abandoned” the Conservative Party’s commitment to protecting the environment.
It comes the day after Downing Street stood by Goldsmith after he was among the Boris Johnson allies condemned for criticising the privileges committee’s probe into the former PM.
It has been a privilege to have been able to make a difference to a cause I have been committed to for as long as I remember. But this govt’s apathy in the face of the greatest challenge we face makes continuing in my role untenable. Reluctantly I am therefore stepping down pic.twitter.com/KDJKN3i6ER
— Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) June 30, 2023
Until he quit today, Goldsmith served as minister for overseas territories, commonwealth, energy, climate and environment.
Last month Sunak abandoned his Tory leadership pledge to pass a key piece of animal welfare legislation - the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
The legislation was designed to meet a 2019 manifesto pledge to impose tougher penalties for animal cruelty.
Goldsmith also hit out at the PM for ditching “solemn promises” the government to spend £11.6bn of aid on climate and environment.
Ed Miliband, Labour’s shadow climate secretary, said: “This is a devastating indictment of Rishi Sunak and his whole government on climate and nature.
“Serving ministers are so ‘horrified’ by their approach they are resigning from the government. The Conservatives should hang their heads in shame.”
Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney said: “Zac Goldsmith’s resignation has at least confirmed what we have known all along, that Rishi Sunak’s Government doesn’t give a damn about the environment and animal rights.”
