Wheeler Dealers star predicts Keir Starmer U-turn on major Labour driving ban

Wheeler Dealers presenter Mike Brewer has suggested Sir Keir Starmer could u-turn over Labour's 2030 petrol and diesel car ban pledge. The host of the popular classic car restoration series was confident officials "will" delay the upcoming ban on the sale of brand new internal combustion vehicles before the deadline.

Labour reinstated the 2030 date for restrictions on the sale of new petrol and diesel models after the Conservatives had initially pushed the rule back to 2035. However, Mike predicts the rule would be "kicked down the road" for at least another five or 10 years. Last year, Mike first suggested the 2030 rule would not be implemented on time and doubled down on his views almost 12 months on.

When asked if the petrol and diesel car ban could be delayed, Mike told Express.co.uk, "They've got to. They will." Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk at the Silverstone Festival, Mike explained: "It will have to be kicked down the road to 2035 and the next Government it will be 2040.

"We are not ready, although we do have electric cars coming into the mainstream, they are more and more and becoming prolific, they are still only about 15% of sales at the moment are electric. It's just not enough. So we are still not ready, We are halfway through that decade, We are already through the decade when it was announced.

"[Politicians] announced all this stuff way back in 2020 and we're in 2025, and just about to dip into 2026 and we are still not ready. There isn't a switch that within the next five years there is going to be plug sockets on every street corner that people can charge, it just isn't going to happen."

The move could yet be politically sensitive with road users split on whether they want to see combustion vehicles off the road. A previous YouGov poll of 3,201 adults found that 50% supported Labour's decision to bring the ban forward to 2030.

However, 34% said they were opposed to the move, with the rest unsure either way. Mike suggested that although brands had strengthened their electric vehicle line-ups, many were already pulling abc support.

Some top marquees such as Aston Martin, Porsche and Audi have embraced a flexible approach that could see the brands develop more ICE vehicles.

Mike added: "You have got manufacturers abandoning their electric car production and moving back to ICE or hybrid. Even they realise it is not the answer."