Tax flights and ditch gas boilers: ‘blue wall’ voters back green policy

A majority of voters in the Conservative party's key 41 constituencies believe the UK should be a world leader on climate

Voters in Tory heartlands want the government to do more to tackle the climate crisis, and support measures that many backbench Conservative MPs have balked at, from ditching gas boilers to taxing flights, new polling shows.

The government has delayed or dialled back key measures in recent weeks. There is no sign of the long-awaited heat and building strategy,the net zero strategy has been postponed to later this month, while the environment bill is stuck in parliament as ministers rejected strengthening amendments from the Lords.