It was Sadiq Khan’s extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) to outer London that won it for the Tories. This diabolical scheme to penalise drivers of older cars and van-owning tradesmen in the outer suburbs has aroused a level of rage which must now be a lesson to all serious contenders in the general election. The ramifications go far beyond this single, apparently anomalous, success for the Conservatives.
Archiv: Uxbridge (London)
By-election results live: Scrap 2030 petrol car ban, Tories urge Sunak
Rishi Sunak has been urged to scrap the ban on new petrol and diesel cars scheduled for 2030 after a surprise Tory by-election win was driven by a green scheme revolt.
While the Tories fell to substantial defeats in the Selby and Ainsty and Somerton and Frome polls, their victory in Boris Johnson’s former constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip came after a campaign centred on opposing the expansion of Sadiq Khan’s ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez).
By election results live: Sunak warned Tories set to lose ‘hell of a lot of seats’
Rishi Sunak has held on to Boris Johnson’s former seat in Uxbridge – a win widely seen as a result of Ulez – despite suffering two painful by-election blows.
When does Ulez expand? How Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the zone helped to decide the Uxbridge by-election
Sadiq Khan’s controversial Ulez scheme has been described as the deciding factor in the Conservatives holding onto Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
The cleaner-air levy has faced opposition since it was introduced 2019, with the intention of purifying London’s air. Drivers of more-polluting vehicles are subject to a £12.50 tax in the ultra low emission zone, in a move similar to the congestion charge.
By-election results: Voters still ‘pissed off’ with Partygate and Truss and uninspired by Sunak, Tory MPs say
The Tories lost two seats with around 20,000 majorities in by-elections on Thursday in Selby and Ainsty, to Labour, and Somerton and Frome, to the Lib Dems, while narrowly holding on to Boris Johnson’s old Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat amid a challenge from Labour.
Tory Party chairman Greg Hands claimed the 495-vote victory in Uxbridge was the “standout result” while Mr Sunak insisted the next general election was not a “done deal” despite the loss of two safe seats.