Coming from Australia where current temperatures in London are normal summer temperatures here, it amazes me there's such push back in using air conditioning.

I appreciate there are infrastructure differences, however our homes don't have great insulation either and there is high use of AC's as its not even a question.

Using AC isn't a luxury, its a necessity in some places particular where there's children or elderly.

it's "austerity" i.e. the rich and powerful saying "the poor and powerless need to make do with less for the good of all of us"