Daily Mail, on Climate, 9 November 2026

3.0out of 10Minor

Burnham's mixed signals on Net Zero: Ministers as PM heads for climate summit

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.2 findings

Andy Burnham is heading for a global climate summit this week – as ministers are poised to cut EV targets. The Government finally looks set to water down rules demanding that 80 per cent of new cars sold in the UK are electric by 2030. New vehicles that run solely on petrol or diesel are due to stop being sold from 2030, with hybrids following by 2035.

Mr Burnham's de facto deputy Louise Haigh is due to lead a Cabinet committee this week on the issue. The PM has recused himself from the decision because of his wife's previous work with EVs. However, it is unclear whether an announcement will come before Mr Burnham heads to the COP summit in Turkey this week. The PM has recused himself from the decision because of his wife's previous work with EVs The premier is trying to strike a balance between seeming more cautious about Net Zero domestically, and insisting the UK is still leading the push on the world stage.

The Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) mandate was introduced by Rishi Sunak to phase out sales of new vehicles that are not electric. It sets out how the percentage of new car sales that need to be EVs increases each year. The level was 28 per cent for 2025, rose to 33 per cent this year, and will go to 80 per cent by 2030. The EU has already scrapped a similar plan to ban new petrol and diesel car sales by 2035, after pressure from large motor industries such as Germany.

Firms had warned UK restrictions could lead them to pull investment, with complaints about having to offer huge incentives to lure people into buying more expensive EVs.

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What we found (2)

The Daily Mail reports that ministers are poised to cut the electric car sales mandate as the Prime Minister heads for the COP summit. Its headline puts in quotation marks words that nobody in the article says. The article gives its space to industry complaints, quotes no one who supports the mandate and never says the rules are meant to cut carbon or pollution.

  1. Headline goes beyond the article

    Minor

    “'finally poised to cut EV targets'”

    Why this matters
    The headline puts 'finally poised to cut EV targets' in quotation marks, as if someone said it.
    The impression it gives
    A minister, official or named source has said the government is finally about to cut the targets.
    The context
    Nobody in the article says these words. The body gives the claim only in the Mail's own voice, with no named source and no attribution.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“ministers are poised to cut EV targets”

    Show it in the article

  2. One side gets the space

    Minor

    “Industry groups have warned the restrictions are too tough and they need 'urgent relief'.”

    Why this matters
    The Mail quotes unnamed industry groups calling the rules too tough and asking for 'urgent relief', and gives no one a reply.
    The impression it gives
    The case for the mandate has no defenders and the only question is how far to cut it.
    The context
    The article quotes no one who supports the mandate. It never says the rules exist to cut the carbon and pollution that come from petrol and diesel cars.

    How we know

    • Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “carbon” and “pollution”.

    Show it in the article

What it gets right

  • “The level was 28 per cent for 2025, rose to 33 per cent this year, and will go to 80 per cent by 2030.”

    It sets out the mandate's yearly steps plainly, so readers can see what a cut would change.

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