Nigel Farage discusses UK’s Net Zero targets

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The former Brexit Party leader earlier this month announced a new political movement, the aim of which was to campaign for a national vote on the Government’s climate targets. Boris Johnson’s ‘net zero’ bid to decarbonise the UK economy by 2050 has proved contentious. But pro-Brexit businessman Ben Habib believes Mr Farage is mistaken to believe a referendum could result in these plans being scrapped.

Having previously worked alongside the now-GB News host as a Brexit Party MEP, Mr Habib is in no doubt over his belief leaving the EU held many benefits for Britain.

He also agrees with Mr Farage’s view that the push for net zero is bad news for the British economy.

But he suggested post-Brexit blunders mean this cannot simply be wished away.

Mr Habib told Express.co.uk Britain is now bound to the climate pledge thanks to agreements negotiated and sealed off by London and Brussels officials since the 2016 vote.

These include the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, signed in January 2020, and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), signed in December that year.

The Brexit Watch Chairman said: “Nigel Farage has been calling for a referendum on net zero – he is wasting his breath.

“We are bound into it under international treaty.”

He added that Lord Frost, who, as Brexit Minister, led negotiations on the UK side for the above agreements and was present when they were signed into law, ought also to know better.

READ MORE: Frost outlines nightmare scenario for EU if it refuses compromise

Lord Frost resigned from the Government in December, in part over the net zero drive.

Mr Habib said: “Lord Frost, who has been calling for Her Majesty’s Government to ditch net zero should know better.

“He did these deals.”

In the 1246-page TCA, negotiated by Lord Frost and signed-off by the Prime Minister, Britain committed to a “level playing field” with the EU on the environment, among other matters.

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It pledged to recognise that “sustainable development encompasses… environmental protection”.

The TCA also ties the Government to “reaffirming its ambition of achieving economy-wide climate neutrality by 2050”.

This raises the question of how ministers would go about backtracking on net zero promises if the public was to vote in favour of such a move in a referendum – if, indeed, this would be at all possible.

Mr Habib descried these ties as a “tragedy”.

He argued moving towards net zero will “undermine our national finances” and “undermine efforts to level up the country” – another of Mr Johnson’s key policy pledges.

Mr Farage also described this as a “ruinous path”, though Mr Johnson has defended his plans, declaring in a recent UN speech: “It is time for us to listen to the warnings of the scientists.”

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