Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer slammed for failing to block Sadiq Khan’s hated ULEZ expansion
LABOUR’S Sir Keir Starmer has been slammed by ministers for failing to step in on the eve of the London Mayor’s hated ULEZ expansion.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper took aim at the Labour chief for refusing to block the decision to whack drivers with older cars with an extra £12.50 a day in charges.
He said it was “not too late” to hit pause – as our ‘Give It a Brake’ has campaigned for.
It comes as cops are braced for a string of protests ahead of the expansion of the hated eco-charges on Tuesday.
Earlier today fuming drivers staged a protest outside the Mayor’s House.
And top union GMB pleaded with the Mayor to delay the move – saying it would cost lives and money.
Mr Harper pointed the finger at the last Labour government for creating “loopholes” in the law which allow it to go ahead despite huge opposition from a string of London boroughs.
As the controversial expansion of the ULEZ to all London boroughs on Tuesday, he vowed that ministers would change the law to make sure that any driver-whacking fees have to have the consent of councils in future.
Mr Harper wrote to Sir Keir accusing him of yet more flip-flopping over the issue of ULEZ – and called on him to make his views clear.
And he pointed out: “You said the decision to expand ULEZ will ‘disproportionately’ hit people struggling with the cost of living… and you could not favour the expansion of similar schemes. And yet Labour’s mayor is still expanding ULEZ.
“I am calling on you to impress on your Labour colleague Sadiq Khan it is not too late to change course.”
And he suggested if he didn’t agree with the policy he could deselect the London Mayor.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves admitted to The Sun that the scheme would “clobber” Londoners – he pointed out too.
The Cabinet minister doesn’t have the legal powers to stop the expansion.
Top trade union, GMB last weekend hit out at the decision to expand the emission zone – days before it comes in.
The union’s London Region Organiser, Trevlyn McLeod told LBC: “People are angry – and so are our members who can’t afford £12.50 a day or to buy a new car.”
They added: “Listen to the people Mr Khan, it’s going to cost lives and money.”
The union is one of the biggest donors to the Labour party.
But last night Labour hit back – branding the Transport Secretary’s intervention “desperate”.
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A Labour source said: “The Conservatives are desperately hoping that the public forgets that clean air zones are their government’s own policy, and that a Tory mayor created ULEZ.
“They’ve hammered motorists and stood idle while petrol prices soared, car insurance rocketed, and fewer potholes get fixed.
“Labour’s plans will lower bills, tackle the cost of living crisis and put money back in people’s pockets.”