Sir Keir Starmer junks pledge to role out clean air zones across UK after disastrous public response to Sadiq Khan’s hated Ulez scheme in London
- A statement in support of Ulez has been removed from Labour’s programme
- READ MORE: When does ULEZ expand and where is it stretching to?
Sir Keir Starmer has abandoned Labour’s pledge to role out clean air zones across the country after a disastrous public response to Sadiq Khan’s hated ULEZ scheme in London.
A statement declaring the party’s support for the zones, that charge drivers based on their vehicles emissions, has been removed from their programme.
It comes as London Mayor Mr Khan has vowed to go ahead with his contentious plans to expand the capital’s ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) in just a few weeks.
Clean air zones were included among Labour’s transport pledges in an 86-page draft policy report to be discussed at the party’s National Policy Forum (NPF), the Telegraph reported.
The original draft said: ‘Labour supports the principle of clean air zones and recognises the huge damage to human health caused by air pollution and the damage to our climate caused by carbon emissions from polluting vehicles.
Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) has abandoned Labour’s pledge to role out clean air zones across the country after a disastrous public response to Sadiq Khan’s hated ULEZ scheme in London
London Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) has vowed to go ahead with his contentious plans to expand the capital’s ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) in just a few weeks
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) (pictured) was created by Transport for London and intends to be implemented on August 29
‘However, they must be phased in carefully, mindful of the impacts on small businesses and low-paid workers, and should be accompanied with a just transition plan to enable people to switch affordably to low-emission vehicles.’
But a photo which has been seen by the Telegraph reportedly shows that this paragraph has been taken out of the forum – just days after the party lost the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election because of hatred towards Mr Khan’s ULEZ scheme.
READ MORE: Anti-ULEZ demo goes awry when protesters’ van wheels are PUNCTURED – as crowd marches over expansion of Sadiq Khan’s controversial scheme
Now a Labour source has revealed that the policy was officially dropped and will not be included in the revised report.
This attempt to distance Labour from the policy comes as Sir Keir also tried to move away from eco group Just Stop Oil – calling their demands to ‘turn off the taps’ in the North Sea ‘contemptible’.
Discussing the clean air zones, the Labour source said: ‘Clean air zones are Conservative government policy. The Tories are the ones who have pushed councils to introduce them. Labour is not in favour of extra burdens on drivers during a Tory-made cost of living crisis.
‘Labour’s priority is growing the economy to improve living standards and tackle the cost of living crisis.’
Although Sir Keir previously showed his support for Ulez, he turned against the scheme after the Uxbridge result.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was created by Transport for London and intends to be implemented on
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