Ulez – U Lose, Labour told: Pressure on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to backtrack after failure to win Boris seat blamed on controversial fines

Labour is at war over its green policies after Sadiq Khan’s ‘tax on drivers’ helped cost the party Boris Johnson’s coveted seat.

There was fury among senior opposition figures at the damage the ‘arrogant’ London mayor caused to the winnable Uxbridge by-election by extending the Ultra Low Emission Zone levy on polluting vehicles.

And there were also questions over the future of Ed Miliband’s £28billion-a-year green growth plan, which has already been scaled back. 

In another blow to Sir Keir Starmer, the chairman of the Uxbridge constituency group quit his post and gave up his Labour Party membership.

David Williams wrote online: ‘Jeremy Corbyn gave a huge boost to the Labour Party.’

Labour is at war over its green policies after Sadiq Khan’s (pictured) ‘tax on drivers’ helped cost the party Boris Johnson’s coveted seat

As a blame game erupted after the Tories unexpectedly clung on to Uxbridge by just 495 votes, one Labour MP bluntly told the Mail: ‘Ulez, u lose.’

Labour leader Sir Keir, who had refused to say whether he supported the policy, put Mr Khan on notice, saying: ‘Ulez was the reason we didn’t win there yesterday. We know that. We heard that on the doors. And we’ve all got to reflect on that, including the mayor.’

Deputy leader Angela Rayner admitted: ‘One of the things we have to reflect on today is not only the mood against the Tories, but also [the fact that] the decision in Uxbridge was related to Ulez. The Uxbridge result shows that when you don’t listen to the voters, you don’t win elections.’

In a separate interview with Times Radio she acknowledged: ‘It’s pretty obvious that Ulez was a problem on the doors.’

And justice spokesman Steve Reed warned: ‘Those responsible for that policy will need to reflect on what the voters have said and whether there’s an opportunity to change.’

One Labour aide told the Politico website that the ‘arrogant’ mayor, who went on a publicity blitz in May for his book about the climate emergency, Breathe, ‘cared more about his book launch than the party’.

Labour’s candidate in Uxbridge, Danny Beales, had been forced to go back on his previous support for Ulez because of local anger but still failed to win the by-election.

Mr Khan yesterday doubled down on Ulez, which from the end of August is being extended to cover outer London. 

From then all drivers in the city will have to pay £12.50 a day if their vehicles do not meet the emissions standards. Transport for London figures show 10 per cent of vehicles in outer London are non-compliant.

The mayor, who has vowed to bring down the capital’s air pollution levels, said: ‘Obviously I welcome the 7 per cent swing to Labour in this outer London seat and we are determined to clear the air in London.’ 

In his victory speech in the early hours, Conservative candidate for Uxbridge Steve Tuckwell told the by-election count: ‘It was his damaging and costly Ulez policy that lost them this election.’

As a blame game erupted after the Tories unexpectedly clung on to Uxbridge by just 495 votes, one Labour MP bluntly told the Mail: ‘Ulez, u lose’

He predicted that the scheme could also cost Labour dearly at the next general election, saying: ‘I think there will be Labour MPs in outer London boroughs who will be looking at this result tonight with sweaty palms.’

Tory pollster Lord Hayward said the effect could spread even more widely, since Ulez also affects businesses, tradesmen and families who live in the Home Counties but have to drive into the capital. 

He told Sky News: ‘Ulez has implications for a string of marginals on the eastern side of London: Stevenage, Thurrock, Harlow, Dartford, Gravesend. So the Labour Party will be looking very carefully at the implications.’

Frontbencher Emily Thornberry said Ulez was ‘the right policy’ but added: ‘I suspect it’s the way it’s being done, and I hope that Sadiq will look at it again. I know that we’re asking him to.’