Labour’s ‘obsession’ with net zero blasted by Reform chairman: ‘Greatest act of self-immolation in British history!’

Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf has launched a blistering attack on Britain’s net zero policies, labelling them “one of the greatest acts of self-immolation in British history”.

Speaking to GB News, Yusuf highlighted that the controversial environmental targets were initially established under Conservative leadership.

The Reform UK chairman’s stark warning comes amid ongoing debates about the economic impact of Britain’s climate commitments.

“The obsession with net zero, which one shouldn’t forget was legislated and enshrined by a Tory Government, has become one of the greatest acts of self-immolation in British history,” Yusuf told GB News.

Yusuf pointed to Britain’s energy costs as a key concern in his criticism of net zero policies.

“The United Kingdom has the most expensive electricity in the world. It is absolutely catastrophic,” he stated.

The Reform UK chairman drew direct links between energy costs and economic growth.

“What is GDP? It is output. Output is energy expended,” he explained.

He argued that current policies are leading to the export of British manufacturing and carbon emissions to other nations.

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“The United Kingdom is voluntarily choosing to export its carbon emissions and manufacturing to foreign countries, most of which are far lower environmental standards than the UK,” Yusuf warned.

“The United Kingdom is less than one per cent of global emissions,” he noted, emphasising the global nature of climate change.

He contrasted this with larger nations’ impact: “China, the United States and India combined are 48 per cent of global emissions. China is 30 per cent on its own.

“We destroyed our coal industry – tens of thousands of jobs lost with minimal opportunity for the people who lost those jobs,” he added.

He also highlighted China’s ongoing expansion of coal power: “China is commissioning two new coal power plants every single week.”

Despite his criticism of current environmental policies, Yusuf acknowledged the likelihood of human influence on climate change.

“I think that the evidence on the balance of probabilities, and looking at the evidence that I’ve looked at, it does look like mankind is having an impact on the climate,” he said.

“What we’re doing instead is self-immolating, exporting our carbon emissions to third world countries so that people like Ed Miliband can feel good about themselves,” he concluded.