Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, former Climate Minister and MP for Richmond Park, told BBC Newsnight "It's very hard to make the case for another five years of the Conservative Party."

On Wednesday night (5 June), the former party stalwart went on to say that there has been "little progress" under the current Government on climate pledges, with the interview following a comment he made in 2023 during which he stated he was extremely tempted not to vote for Rishi Sunak.

Still, Lord Goldsmith told Newsnight host, Victoria Derbyshire, that he was a minister under Sunak and Boris Johnson not because of their personalities but because he wanted "to get things done."

READ MORE: General Election 2024: Date of second hustings for Richmond Park candidates announced

Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Richmond Park, who defeated Goldsmith twice in 2016 and 2019, says: "Every single day, Rishi Sunak is losing support. Now even his own peers are struggling to see a reason why they should support the Conservatives. 

"The Conservatives have broken their word on the environment, let water companies pour sewage into our rivers, and opened new oil fields after pledging to fight climate change. 

"Sitting Conservative Parliamentarians, people who have known and worked alongside Rishi Sunak, know that we cannot let him back into No.10.

"The country shouldn't have to go through another five years of chaos and broken promises. "

Lib Dem candidate for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney criticises Rishi Sunak for not having some in his own party back him (credit: Sarah Olney).

Lord Goldsmith was previously Minister for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment from September 2022 to June 2023 under Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss and Minister for the Pacific and the International Environment from July 2019 to September 2022 under Johnson.

He became a member of the House of Lords in 2020.

Richmond Park Conservatives has been approached for comment.

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