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Burnham recuses himself from ZEV mandate decision over wife's charging industry role
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stepped aside from decisions on Britain's zero-emission vehicle mandate due to a potential conflict of interest, handing responsibility to First Secretary Louise Haigh. Burnham's wife, Marie-France van Heel, recently stepped back as chief marketing officer of Iduna Infrastructure, parent company of Manchester-based charging network Be.EV, and continues to advise the Be.EV board. The recusal comes as ministers split over the 2030 target, with the Treasury and business department seeking to cut the requirement from 80 per cent to 50 per cent electric vehicle sales, which Treasury officials believe is needed to attract overseas carmaker investment in UK manufacturing.
Why it matters
The potential weakening of the ZEV mandate from 80 per cent to 50 per cent by 2030 could significantly alter the pace and scale of charging infrastructure rollout required across the UK. The conflict of interest disclosure highlights the growing commercial and political sensitivity around charging network investments as the sector matures.