Labour Subsidizes 'Supersized Status Symbols' as Electric SUV Sales Surge

As of September 9th, 2025, the Labour government is facing criticism for its "inconsistent" climate policy that includes subsidies for electric SUVs. According to the analysis, the government is providing discounts of up to £3,750 on new electric cars, but 12 of the 37 eligible models are SUVs.

The number of these large vehicles has increased tenfold on the streets of England's cities over the past two decades, now comprising 30% of urban vehicles. Larger cars are more likely to cause deaths in crashes and can obscure the vision of drivers, making them unable to see children directly in front of the vehicle.

Labour MP Clive Lewis has described the subsidies as "absurd," stating that public money should not be used to support "oversized, wasteful and dangerous" SUVs, even in their electric form. He argues that these vehicles still produce more toxic particles from their tires due to their heavier weight and cause more potholes, undermining the government's efforts towards a "green transition."

The issue has been seen as indicative of a wider inconsistency in Labour's climate policy, with the party simultaneously investing in warm homes, Heathrow expansion, and more roads and bigger cars. Campaigners have called for the government to introduce weight-related taxes to encourage smaller, more efficient vehicles on UK roads.