Sadiq Khan has suggested he will still campaign in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, despite the Labour candidate criticising his Ultra low emission zone (Ulez) expansion plan.
The mayor told a City Hall meeting on Thursday that despite there being a difference of opinion between himself and candidate Danny Beales on the Ulez, he will still try to visit the area before the by-election, “diary permitting”.
The parliamentary by-election, triggered by the resignation of Boris Johnson, is one of three taking place across the UK on July 20 - and is thought to be the least difficult for Labour to win.
But the Conservatives have made Mr Khan’s Ulez expansion a key focus for their campaign, arguing that the £12.50 daily charge for non-compliant vehicles will hit people’s pockets during a cost of living crisis.
At a hustings event earlier this week, Labour’s Mr Beales said he had heard “heart-wrenching stories” from those who would not be able to afford to upgrade their cars or pay the daily charge when the Ulez is extended to outer London on August 29.
He said: “It’s not the right time to extend the Ulez scheme to outer London, it’s just not.”
He added that he had written to Mr Khan to voice his concerns about the scheme.
At Thursday’s meeting, Conservative assembly member Andrew Boff raised questions about Mr Khan’s involvement in the by-election campaign so far, and whether his presence in the constituency could in fact be a hindrance to Mr Beales.
Asked by Mr Boff when he was last in Uxbridge, Mr Khan said he was not sure.
Asked whether he would be visiting the constituency over the next couple of weeks, he said: “Oh definitely. Before the [by-]election, but also for the celebration party for Danny Beales, the next MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.”
Pressed by Mr Boff on whether he will be visiting, the mayor added: “Diary permitting.”
Mr Boff later asked him: “Do you think your going to Uxbridge is going to benefit that gentleman, or not?”
Mr Khan said: “I think you’ll find that although on this issue of Ulez expansion, the brilliant Danny Beales and I disagree, in relation to a whole host of issues - the Government’s incompetence with the NHS, with inflation, with interest rates, the Government’s incompetence when it comes to the mortgage tax bombshell - he and I agree completely.”
In a reference to the constituency’s previous MP, the mayor added: “That’s why the people of Uxbridge and Ruislip should vote for the Labour local champion that is Danny Beales, instead of another lying charlatan.”
Speaking with the BBC later on Thursday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer refused to be drawn on whether he agreed with Mr Beales or Mr Khan when it came to the Ulez expansion.
He said Mr Khan was trying to fulfil his legal obligations to reduce emissions, whilst Mr Beales was trying to fight for his future constituents.
"Both of those things have to be accommodated," Sir Keir said.
The Labour leader has previously said that Mr Khan was "right" to expand the zone, arguing last month it was part of the fight to curb lung cancer.
