The new deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party has said voters are “sick to death” of hearing about net zero.

This comes just a few days after the government announcement of a new Energy Security and Net Zero Department.

Days before his appointment, speaking to the CAR26 pressure group, Lee Anderson said: “People are sick to death that they are being dictated to by the do-gooders about this net zero journey. I am not a denier, I think we’ve got to leave our planet in a better condition but that said it is unfair to the poorest in society because they are paying the price we look.”

Later in the interview, Mr Anderson said he supported the development of the Cumbria coal mine, while during a round of quick-fire questions that he had to choose wind farms or fracking and “climate catastrophe” or “no climate catastrophe” he chose the latter.

Last year, Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, said: “No one disagrees that we must do more to protect the Earth. But mention the net zero journey to most of the people in Ashfield and they will look at you as if you have just arrived from another planet.”

ELN has contacted the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for comment.