Former Aston Martin CEO, and automotive leader, investor and commentator Andy Palmer described parts of the UK government’s approach to securing the electrified future of the UK. industry is “extremely stupid”.

When asked about the need for an industrial strategy to support the auto industry, recently launched by the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) as part of its business growth plan, economy worth £106 billion by 2030, Palmer said: “I am apolitical, and always have been, but unfortunately the UK is behind most things. We have the concept of ‘small government’, which means adopting a laissez-faire approach to allow market forces to decide where we are going, but unfortunately that’s the opposite of what we’re talking about. the rest of the world is doing.

“If I look at the traffic space and the disruption in that space, I don’t think sitting back and seeing where market forces take it.