The former prime ministers are among around 20 Conservative MPs who have signed an amendment tabled by Simon Clarke, who served as a minister under Johnson and Truss, which would end the de facto ban on new onshore wind that has been in place since 2014. While Truss supported the resumption of onshore wind, Johnson’s decision to support the amendment is remarkable given that he did not seek to reverse the long-standing policy when he was prime minister. Clarke’s amendment would force the government to change planning rules within six months to allow new projects. It is the second major challenge to the bill. Earlier this week, No 10 went ahead with a scheduled vote on the bill after an uproar over planning policy. An amendment led by former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers and backed by more than 50 Tory MPs seeks to scrap mandatory local housing targets and make them advisory only. The addition of Johnson and Truss to the rebel ranks adds to the pressure on Mr Sunak over the wind farm issue and the wider sense that he is out of power as the third prime minister since the election and one appointed without a vote of Tory MPs. . Since 2014, planning rules have effectively banned any new onshore wind farms in England under tightening restrictions imposed by David Cameron’s government after pressure from Tory campaigners. The push for greater energy independence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted calls to stop it. Truss had vowed to change the rules, but was kicked out before she could do so. During the summer Tory leadership campaign, which Truss won, Sunack presented what he called an “energy dominance strategy”, which retained a ban on new onshore wind, prompting Labor to accuse him of “financial illiteracy”. While the latest public list of signatories to Clarke’s amendment shows only two other Tory MPs, Virginia Crosby and Catherine Fletcher, as well as Labour’s Ben Bradshaw, Clarke told the Guardian that around 20 had now signed up. The most important stories on the planet. Get all the week’s environmental news – the good, the bad and the must-haves Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. As well as Johnson and Truss, they include other former ministers such as Stephen Crabb and Robin Walker. Clarke, who served as chief secretary to the Treasury under Johnson, and as secretary in Truss’ seven-week prime ministership, said: “This is a really unifying issue from all wings of the Conservative party. We should let local communities decide whether or not they want onshore wind, perhaps coupled with reasonable incentives from energy companies, and not implement a blanket ban. “Onshore wind can lower our constituents’ bills, strengthen our energy independence and protect our environment, and I’m pleased that so many colleagues are supporting this important amendment.”
