Labour is calling for the government to bring forward the ban on new petrol, diesel and hybrid car sales to 2030, five years ahead of the current target.
This would not only cut carbon emissions and reduce air pollution, but create jobs, argues the opposition party.
The call is one of a number of demands for the ban to be brought forward. The Committee on Climate Change said in June that the UK phase-out date must be bought forward to 2032 “at the latest”.
1 in 3 Conservative MPs last month also called for the phase-out date to be accelerated to 2030.
“2030 is an ambitious but achievable date,” said Labour shadow minister for climate change Matthew Pennycook.
It would “give a new lease of life to the UK car industry, whist combatting climate change breakdown and cleaning up the air”.
Mr Pennycook pointed to studies suggesting an acceleration of EVs could see battery manufacturing jobs in the UK grow from 170k to 220k by 2040.
He called on the government to “set pout a credible plan to get there… it’s time for ministers to seize this opportunity as part of a world-leading green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic… generating real momentum for next year’s COP26 climate summit”.
Mr Pennycook also referenced new electric vehicle subsidies in both Germany and France, while France has also introduced a means-tested green car scrappage scheme.
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