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.
