Consultation to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2030, 'idiotic' Education Secretary and more social distancing nonsense

THE DIGITAL DIGEST – round-up of the best stories from the web

By Gary Chappell

WHILE most of the UK was gearing up for Christmas the Government launched a ‘consultation’ for the UK auto industry to help encourage a switch to zero-emission vehicles.

News Uncut puts the word ‘consultation’ in inverted commas because, with all these types of Government moves, it is usually just a box-ticking exercise, with the powers that be doing what they had already planned regardless.

Still, the Government believes there are “huge opportunities for economic growth and to improve living standards for working people”.

Last month, Vauxhall announced it would be closing its van-making factory in Luton, saying rules imposed to speed up the transition to electric vehicles in the UK partly drove the decision. The Government has not said how the closure fits with their narrative of “huge opportunities for economic growth”.

The consultation has been launched to “shape the 2030 petrol and diesel car phase-out” – meaning no new cars using this fuel will be “allowed” to be made.

A release on the Government website said: “Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has launched a consultation to ask views from industry on how to deliver on the manifesto commitment to restore the 2030 phase out date for new purely petrol and diesel cars and make the transition to zero emissions vehicles a success.”

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