Former energy minister quits Britain’s Conservatives over approval of new oil drilling

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s former energy minister is quitting the Conservative Party and stepping down as a lawmaker over the government’s backtracking on its environmental commitments. Chris Skidmore said Friday he could not support a forthcoming bill that will authorize new North Sea oil and gas drilling. He said “I cannot vote for a bill that clearly promotes the production of new oil and gas.” Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has watered down some green goals that he said imposed “unacceptable costs” on ordinary people. Skidmore said it was “a tragedy that the U.K. has been allowed to lose its climate leadership.” He said he would step down when Parliament returns next week from its Christmas break.