The Tory leadership candidate has criticised the UK’s net zero targets while accepting donations from fossil fuel investors and climate denial funders.

The former business secretary, who is running for Conservative Party leader, has defended net zero U-turns and backed new fossil fuel drilling.

Despite growing public support for climate action, former Tory MP Craig Mackinlay has pledged to continue opposing green policies.

The Heritage Foundation’s plan includes policies to turbocharge fossil fuel production.

The Global Warming Policy Foundation has been accused of funding one-sided research attacking net zero policies.

The Conservative candidate has changed his tune on climate action, recently attacking Labour’s net zero policies and arguing for new fossil fuel extraction.

The intake includes a property developer who dubbed CO2 merely “plant food” and the former chair of Southampton Football Club, who blames wildfires entirely on arsonists.

Introducing the key politicians tasked with delivering the government’s energy transformation plans – and the jobs at the top of their intrays.

The result has “buried Sunak’s anti-green agenda once and for all”, said Will McCallum of Greenpeace UK.

Interviewed at a bikers cafe, Farage said the UK’s legally binding commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions would “make absolutely almost no difference whatsoever”.