Labour has blamed the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) scheme for their by-election defeat in Boris Johnson’s former seat, with shadow justice secretary Steve Reed insisting those responsible for the policy will now need to “reflect”.
Despite Labour’s hopes of winning Uxbridge and South Ruislip, a seat held by the former prime minister with a majority of 7,210 in 2019, Tory candidate Steve Tuckwell managed to retain it for Rishi Sunak’s party.
Speaking after the results were announced from the count at Queensmead Sports Centre in South Ruislip, Labour frontbencher Mr Reed pinpointed the Sadiq Khan-backed scheme as a significant factor behind their defeat.
He told the PA news agency: “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.
“Clearly, it did resonate with a lot of people. They didn’t like the fact that Ulez was going to cost people more to drive around at a time when there’s a cost-of-living crisis going on. That’s exactly what Danny Beales was saying all the way through the campaign.
“But I think when the voters speak, any party that seeks to govern has to listen. So that’s what Labour will be doing after this.”
The Labour candidate, Danny Beales, had expressed his reservations about the policy, stating that the timing was not appropriate for expanding the £12.50 daily charge on cars that do not meet emissions standards.
The failure to overturn the Tory majority in the seat was dubbed “Uloss” by a party insider in a sign of the unease at Mr Khan’s plan.
Mr Tuckwell received 13,965 votes to Mr Beales’s 13,470 to claim the constituency for the Tories.
Mr Reed added: “There are going to be many lessons and I think the right thing to do would be to reflect on what’s happened this evening and have a think about what that might be and that we need to change and then come back and make sure that we are representing the aspirations and ambitions of the public.”
Asked what his party could have done differently, he 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.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “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.
“We know that the Conservatives crashing the economy has hit working people hard, so it’s unsurprising that the Ulez expansion was a concern for voters here in a by-election.”
Newly elected Tory MP Mr Tuckwell told reporters after his victory: “My campaign has been incredibly single-minded and it’s really been in complete opposition to Ulez from the outset.
“That’s not me saying that, it’s not me that called the referendum on Ulez. It is the people of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.”
After saying “Sadiq Khan needs to listen”, he added: “Well, I think there will Labour MPs in outer London boroughs who will be looking at this result tonight with sweaty palms.”
Former prime minister Mr Johnson 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.”
