By Guy Taylor
Keir Starmer has ditched Labour’s commitment to introduce Ulez-style clean air zones across the country, in a loss for Mayor Sadiq Khan.
According to reports, a statement supporting the roll-out of clean air zones, which charge drivers whose vehicles fail to meet emissions standards, has been scrapped from the party’s policy programme.
It follows Labour’s surprise Uxbridge by-election defeat in July, which was widely blamed on Khan’s plans to expand the controversial ULEZ scheme across all of London’s Boroughs.
Khan has since doubled down on the policy, buoyed by a High Court victory against five Tory councils who launched a legal challenge to oppose the planned expansion.
However, the Uxbridge shock has seen Starmer begin to doubt the scheme ahead of the election, urging the Mayor in late July to “reflect” on the impact it will have on London drivers.
Labour’s statement on clean air zones had initially formed part of an 86-page draft policy handbook, which plays a key role in forming the parties’ official manifesto for the upcoming election.
The original document read that the party “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.”
“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.”
However, the Telegraph reported that the paragraphs had been stripped from the handbook, with a Labour source subsequently confirming the policy had been officially dropped and would not feature in any future revisions.
The source said that Labour was “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, not pushing up costs for hard working families.”
They added: “We are committed to tackling air pollution and we will introduce a Clean Air Act, but we will always look at options for reducing air pollution which do not put the burden on hard working families.”
The ULEZ zone charges £12.50 a day for passengers whose vehicles fail to meet certain green credentials. From 29 August, it will be rolled out across across all of London, following Khan’s July victory in London’s High Court.
Both the Labour Party and Mayor’s office were approached for comment.
