It is a simple political principle that good policy makes for good politics — the thinking being that voters reward leaders who improve their lives. But the connection, insofar as it exists, is not absolute. Something Labour learned the hard way in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
The extension to the ultra low emission zone is vital to rid the capital of its toxic air and save lives. It is not just the tragic case of nine-year-old south Londoner Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Research from Imperial College London found that in 2019, toxic air contributed to the premature deaths of around 4,000 Londoners.
Clearly, the imposition of what is effectively a new tax — even on a small minority of non-compliant car owners — would represent a presentational challenge at the best of times, let alone amid a cost-of-living crisis. The close result in one by-election is reason to double down on inducements, not least the more generous car scrappage scheme this newspaper has consistently called for. What it does not justify is a delay to or a dilution of the Ulez extension itself.
The Mayor should ignore pressure from his party leader and hold his nerve.
Questions for Coutts
The loss of a bank account is a major inconvenience. The idea that this could occur for political purposes is a chilling one. Yet it has become apparent that the closure of Nigel Farage’s account was a result not only of a commercial decision, but also linked to political considerations.
Indeed, a report from Coutts’s reputational risk committee states that the bank did not believe Mr Farage was “compatible with Coutts given his publicly-stated views that were at odds with our position as an inclusive organisation”.
The reporting of this story, including by the BBC, has sowed further confusion — with incomplete details and corrections. Questions remain, both for the bank and the way in which the matter has been handled by the media.
Twitter in a flap?
Would you pay for services through Twitter, or should we say ‘X’? That’s the hope of Elon Musk, who has changed the name of the business to X Corp and unveiled a new logo, set to replace the famous blue bird.
There have been many sudden changes to the social media platform since Musk’s takeover last October. It remains to be seen whether yet more upheaval will improve the user experience or merely exacerbate its present difficulties.
