Here is a question that is nowhere as parochial as it might sound: does it matter if Sadiq Khan is re-elected as London mayor next year? Not really, you might say in Newcastle; we’re more engaged in the drama over Labour’s dumping of popular metro mayor Jamie Driscoll. Yada yada, you might say in Manchester; we’ve got our own show, as Andy Burnham jousts with central government.
And yet it does matter. We are almost one week into the creation of that expanded ultra-low emission zone in London and yet the world still turns, the lights stayed on and the pubs are still serving beer. There has been some hardship for those who have struggled and will struggle to adapt, despite the scrappage scheme to offset expense. It’s no joke for poorer people who can’t just buy another car in an overheated secondhand market, and tradespeople who don’t have another £25,000 for a new compliant van (though they can claim tax relief on the charge).
