Today’s move against petrol and diesel vehicles will move the narrative on from Brexit
This morning’s big political news is that the Government is set to announce that petrol and diesel vehicles will no longer be sold in the UK from 2040.
It represents a big change but the environmental and health benefits are strong and the change won’t happen for 22 years.
Given the parliamentary arithmetic and the overwhelming obsession with BREXIT this has some strong political benefits for ministers. It moves the main talking point on and it looks to have wide support. The VW group diesel scandal has brought to the fore the very real problem of air pollution in the cities which is killing people.
With the nature of the BREXI deal becoming increasingly controversial and Farage going on the attack this looks like smart politics. It at least shows that the government is doing sonething and will be widely talkied about.
The development also coincides with the news from BMW that an electric version of the Mini will be assembled at its Oxford plant.
Another interesting development in the past 24 hours is that Toyota, the firm that pioneered the hybrid, is working on an all-electric car that can be charged “within moments“.