Burnham swerves EV decision over wife’s industry links

Andy Burnham is said to have recused himself from a crucial decision over Britain’s move to electric vehicles (EVs) because of his wife’s lobbying job. The Prime Minister has reportedly handed over responsibility for any changes to electric car sales charges to Louise Haigh, the First Secretary of State. It comes amid concerns about an alleged conflict of interest given the role Marie-France van Heel , Mr Burnham’s wife, plays in the EV industry. Ms van Heel recently stepped down from her role as chief customer officer at Manchester-based electric vehicle charging company Be.EV. However, she still serves on the board in an advisory capacity. During his time as mayor of Manchester, Mr Burnham declared his wife’s links to the EV industry and removed himself from any related decision-making. His latest recusal, first reported by The Sunday Times, comes as the Government prepares to water down its plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars and switch to electric alternatives. Under the current zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, 80pc of car sales must be electric by 2030. However, the Treasury and Department for Business and Trade are said to be pushing for this to be reduced to 50pc after intense lobbying from the industry. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, is reported to be lobbying for a new 60pc target, while the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, led by Miatta Fahnbulleh, wants the mandate to remain unchanged. Representatives from each department will meet industry bosses next week to discuss the outcome of a recent consultation on adjusting the targets. The ZEV mandate was introduced in 2024 with a 22pc target and has been gradually ratcheting up. As it stands, ministers want all new car and van sales to be zero emissions by 2035. But car manufacturers have warned that the targets put British jobs and investment at risk, arguing that they do not reflect demand from customers. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has said carmakers took a £10bn hit in the first two years of the mandate. This is because they have been forced to offer significant discounts on electric vehicles (EVs) to avoid paying fines for falling short of the quotas, which stand at £12,000 per car. Ministers are considering watering down the targets to help encourage investment in Britain’s car industry, which is facing fierce competition from cut-price Chinese imports . Mr Burnham has made plans to “reindustrialise” the UK economy a key tenet of his premiership, with the car industry expected to play a key role. But any move to soften the mandate risks angering EV charging companies, who have threatened to pull £2bn of investment – equivalent to around 50,000 chargers – if the Government backtracks. The Department for Transport spokesman said: “The Government is united in its commitment to the ZEV mandate, and no decisions have been taken.” Downing Street was contacted for comment.