Tory leadership candidates urged to ignore 'siren voices' urging them to abandon net zero pledges

Tory leadership candidates have been told to ignore 'siren voices' urging them to abandon the UK government's plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A group of net zero skeptics on the Tory backbenches are hoping to steer Boris Johnson's potential successors away from green policies, as climate change looms as a major battle in the contest to choose the next prime minister.

Tory MP Steve Baker - founder of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group of backbench MPs - has suggested he will push for the next Prime Minister to dismantle the government's climate programme.