Conservative leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has performed a double U-turn on whether she supports climate change targets, backing and then rowing back from the policy.
Ms Badenoch, a right-winger who has focused her campaign on culture war issues, attracted criticism after she described net zero targets as "unilateral economic disarmament" early in the contest.
There is a scientific consensus that the earth will face catastrophic levels of climate change unless carbon emissions are reduced to a net zero by 2050 – with some calling for an earlier target.
But under pressure at a climate hustings on Monday she then told an audience that she backed the policy, joining the four other candidates in the scientific mainstream.
Yet soon after the debate she reverted to type, taking to the Murdoch-owned TalkTV news channel to again voice doubts about the policy.
“Yes, there are circumstances where I would delay it," she told TalkTV's The News Desk programme when asked about net zero.
"But I think that the target itself is a bit of a red herring. We need to look at the plan.
"I believe there is climate change and that’s something we do need to tackle, but we have to do it in a way that doesn't bankrupt our economy.
"We've got to take people with us. What would happen if we moved it to 2060 or 2070? We're not going to be here. Let's be realistic”.
The net zero 2050 target was written into law by Theresa May and continued by Boris Johnson.
Under the plan the UK would have to emit no more carbon than it absorbs by 2050, bringing it into line with its Paris climate commitments.
Ms Badenoch remains in the race to replace Boris Johnson, alongside Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt. Tory MPs will vote later on Tuesday on which candidate to eliminate next.
