What Is Corbyn's Plan for Petrol?

Nationally adored, Jeremy Corbyn is no stranger to the public eye. Now, the Labour leader has made headlines once again, and confirmed that his team is developing a suite of revolutionary environmental policies that could transform the UK’s approach to petrol.

The radical reformations would see a Corbyn government veto the sale of new petrol cars in the UK after a set cut-off date, and allow only zero or low-carbon vehicles to hit dealerships. The goal is to tackle the increasing issue of air pollution that’s plaguing the UK, which could save thousands of lives. According to a 2015 King’s College study, London’s toxic air causes around 10,000 fatalities a year, with growing traffic on the city’s streets playing a key role.

A policy “for the 60 million, not the big six” 

If the move went ahead, it would represent a milestone achievement for Britain, which is vying to transform itself into an eco-friendly, low-carbon nation. Corbyn has backed his bold proposal with a set of other ideas, including deconstructing the dominance of the ‘Big Six’ energy firms. Under a Labour government, individuals generating electricity from solar panels would be able to sell excess energy to their neighbours, which could represent a big blow for giants like British Gas.

There’s also talk of fast-tracking the advent of energy-efficient homes, which could save Brits hundreds of pounds on their energy bills. Corbyn and his team maintain that not only will the energy policies help to create a ‘greener’ Britain, but they’ll also serve as policies “for the 60 million, not the big six.” 

Britain joins Norway and the Netherlands in bid to ban petrol

While taking on Britain’s energy giants is a priority, it’s Corbyn’s petrol ban that is indisputably stealing the spotlight when it comes to the polls. The media is scrambling to get the scoop, with The Independent reporting that if successful, a total ban on petrol and diesel car sales could be introduced within a decade. This could see all new fossil fuel car sales completely disallowed by as soon as 2026.

In a global context, Britain’s not the only one vying to ban petrol guzzling, pollution heavy vehicles. Norway has also announced plans to ban the sale of fossil fuel-based cars within 10 years, which would crystallise its status as one of the world’s most ecologically progressive countries. The Dutch Labour Party is also on-board, with prospective plans to ban sales by 2025.

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