Labour has blamed Sadiq Khan and his hated expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) for their shock by-election defeat in Boris Johnson’s former seat of Uxbridge.
Sir Keir Starmer said it was clear Mr Khan’s Ulez expansion was the reason the Tories won – urging the mayor to “reflect” on the scheme. “We know that [was the reason for defeat]. We heard that on the doors. And we’ve all got to reflect on that – including the mayor.”
Asked what “reflect” meant, and pressed on whether the scheme should now be scrapped, Sir Keir said: “We’ve got to look at the result. The mayor needs to reflect. And it’s too early to say what should happen next.”
Deputy leader Angela Rayner admitted that Labour flopped in the north-west London constituency did not win did not “listen to the voters” concerns about Ulez.
Despite overturning a 20,000 Tory majority to take the North Yorkshire seat of Selby, a downbeat Ms Rayner said: “We’ve got to keep our feet on the ground … I think one of the things we have to reflect on today is not only the mood against the Tories, but also the decision in Uxbridge was related to Ulez.”
Ms Rayner added: “The Uxbridge result shows that when you don’t listen to the voters, you don’t win elections ... People are really concerned about how, during a cost of living crisis, that they’re going to be imposed with a Ulez charge that they can’t afford.”
The failure to overturn the Tory majority in the seat was dubbed “Uloss” by a Labour insider in a sign of anger at Mr Khan’s plan to extend the scheme to outer London.
Despite Labour optimism that a 7,000 majority could be overturned and a humiliating triple byelection defeat inflicted on Rishi Sunak, the Tories’ Uxbridge candidate Steve Tuckwell managed to retain it by 495 votes.
Labour candidate Danny Beales had expressed his reservations about the policy – arguing that August was not the right time to expand the £12.50 daily charge on cars that do not meet emissions standards.
New Tory MP Steve Tuckwell said Sadiq Khan’s scheme gave him victory— (PA)
But Mr Tuckwell, who opposed the policy, seized on local anger. He essentially thanked Mr Khan for handing him victory on Friday morning. “It was his damaging and costly Ulez policy that lost them this election.”
Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed made clear the frustration inside Labour by insisting Mr Khan and those responsible for the policy will now need to “reflect”.
“I think the winning Conservative candidate just said it, didn’t he? He said that if it wasn’t for Ulez, he believes Labour would have won this by-election … when the voters speak, any party that seeks to govern has to listen.”
Asked what his party could have done differently, Mr Reed said: “I think those responsible for that policy will need to reflect on what the voters have said and whether there’s an opportunity to change.”
But Mr Khan defended his controversial Ulez expansion, sticking to his guns on the rollout planned for August, which aims to cut emissions and improve air pollution.
“Of course I am disappointed that this seat, which has never been Labour in my lifetime, didn’t go Labour last night,” he said. “Obviously I welcome the 7% swing to Labour in this outer London seat, and we are determined to clear the air in London.”
Keir Starmer has said Sadiq Khan had ‘no choice’ over the Ulez expansion— (PA Wire)
A source close to Mr Khan defended Ulez and played down the significance of the result, telling The Independent: “Sadiq has always been clear that expanding the Ulez was a really difficult decision, but necessary to save the lives of young and vulnerable Londoners.”
They added: “Winning Uxbridge and South Ruislip was always going to be a struggle for Labour. Labour hasn’t won this seat for five decades and Tony Blair didn’t even win it during the 1997 landslide.”
Ms Rayner said London voters had “had enough” and do not feel they can afford to change their vehicles – saying a “proper compensation” was needed, despite Mr Khan’s £110m scrappage scheme which gives out grants to drivers.
New Selby MP Keir Mather (centre), with Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner— (PA)
The deputy Labour leader would not say if the party would now urge Mr Khan to drop or delay the expansion from inner to outer London planned for August.
Asked if she was worried about Labour struggling in other outer London seats, she said: “It’s not just a problem for Labour, it’s a problem for the Conservatives … because they’re not providing the support,” she told BBC Breakfast.
After saying “Sadiq Khan needs to listen”, Mr Tuckwell added: “I think there will Labour MPs in outer London boroughs who will be looking at this result tonight with sweaty palms.”
Mr Johnson, who did no campaigning in his old seat, said: “Fantastic news from Uxbridge. Well done Steve Tuckwell and the amazing Conservative council and association members. This shows the Conservatives can win in London and around the country.”
A Labour spokesperson said it was “unsurprising” Ulez had been an issue during the cost of living crisis. “This was always going to be a difficult battle in a seat that has never had a Labour MP and we didn’t even win in 1997.”
Meanwhile, the Compass campaign group’s chief Neal Lawson, the former speechwriter for Gordon Brown who faces potential expulsion after advocating cross-party collaboration, who has criticised Labour for its failure to get back tactical voting.
“If Labour practiced the kind of cross party alliances they are trying to expel me from the Party for advocating, then today in the Uxbridge byelection there would be one more Labour MP and one less Tory,” he tweeted.
