Drivers of diesel cars are to be given financial help by the Government, Theresa May has hinted, as cities across the UK prepare to introduce new taxes on the vehicles.

The Prime Minister said that drivers who were encouraged to buy diesel cars by previous governments, only to see the policy reversed, must now be “taken into account”.

Mrs May said she was “very conscious” of the fact that there was a push towards diesel under Labour more than a decade ago because of concerns over carbon emissions.

Her comments are the clearest indication yet that the Government is considering introducing a scrappage scheme to incentivise drivers to trade-in older diesel vehicles.