In a significant political maneuver ahead of the London mayoral elections, the UK government, under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, announced its support for a private member's bill introduced by Conservative MP Gareth Johnson to cancel the expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), a policy championed by Mayor Sadiq Khan. This move has sparked a debate on the implications for devolution and local governance, as it represents a direct intervention by Westminster in a decision made by the elected mayor of London. The bill's debate in Parliament saw Labour MPs attempting to filibuster, aiming to prevent its passage. Despite the government's backing, the effort to reverse the ULEZ expansion ultimately failed to pass in the Commons. The Conservative's London mayoral candidate, who is standing on a platform of scrapping Khan's clean air scheme, is currently more than 20 points behind him in the polls.
In tabling legislation in parliament to try to overturn ulez the tories revealed they have no confidence in their own mayoral candidate! @SadiqKhan https://t.co/UwRlrTlwFU
UK government supports move to revoke clean air zone expansion https://t.co/t8mYf3eSrI https://t.co/gl79dDNXse
A bid by Dartford MP Gareth Johnson to reverse the Ulez expansion has failed in the Commons. Tap below to read more: https://t.co/9OnCiczSTa
LATEST: A Conservative MP has failed in his bid reverse London mayor Sadiq Khan's expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone. https://t.co/VWHChrhaom
MP's move to reverse London Ulez expansion runs out of Commons time https://t.co/eCkW6oBRYz
UK government backs plan to scrap Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion https://t.co/0Z99XQOtTg https://t.co/PIY2UxYUZ9
The UK government will back plans to scrap widening London’s ULEZ expansion strategy just weeks from the capital’s mayoral elections https://t.co/8g525qiqq1
Today @Conservatives MPs are in Parliament attempting to introduce a bill to reverse Sadiq Khan’s loathed #ULEZ expansion. Labour politicians are on their feet attempting to talk it out of time. Thankfully, our local Conservative MPs are there fighting for their residents. https://t.co/s1XI032T4k
Currently waiting to express my support for a Bill to scrap the unjustified #ULEZ expansion, however sadly it appears Labour are attempting to talk until we run out of time and the Bill falls. Disappointingly, no LibDem MPs to be seen to show their support either. https://t.co/dUu6m5GvHY
The Government is supporting today’s Bill to scrap #ULEZ expansion. But clear from the start of today’s debate that Labour MPs are going to try and filibuster and block it. Disgraceful. Labour are not on the side of working people. https://t.co/7aZFEEv7co
This is absurd. Rishi Sunak's spokesperson says that a private members bill brought forward by a non-London MP, which goes against the manifesto commitment of someone directly elected by millions of Londoners, will allow "communities to have their say." https://t.co/gaY6KBXmfL
This is absurd. Rishi Sunak's spokesman says that a private members bill brought forward by a non-London MP, which goes against the manifesto commitment of someone directly elected by millions of Londoners, will allow "communities to have their say." https://t.co/RcvqTjHZ4R
Rishi Sunak's spokesman said last month that ULEZ was a "matter for the mayor" and for Londoners. Now they're intervening to overturn the mayor's decision no matter how Londoners choose to vote in May. https://t.co/RcvqTjHZ4R
The Conservative's London mayoral candidate is standing on a platform of scrapping Sadiq Khan's clean air scheme and is currently 24 points behind him in the polls. The Government's response? Pass a law to unilaterally scrap the clean air zone anyway https://t.co/gaY6KBXmfL
🔴‘An Assault on Democracy’: Rishi Sunak Backs Bill to Overturn Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ Extension The Tories are trying to overturn Khan's flagship clean air scheme, despite being more than 20 points behind him in the race for City Hall @AdamBienkov reports https://t.co/CHC9u8kqRP
New law to scrap Sadiq Khan's Ulez expansion to be debated by MPs - @RachaelBurford reports https://t.co/gGGsHod0Ch
A new law that would see Sadiq Khan's Ulez expansion scrapped is set to be debated in Parliament https://t.co/FRz3ifzciT
Today @GarethJohnsonMP Private Member’s Bill to overturn ULEZ expansion gets its Second Reading. Great to get this last night from Transport Sec to say that gov will back the Bill. Getting it thru isn’t guaranteed so @Councillorsuzie will overturn expanded ULEZ if elected in May. https://t.co/vInJHSN80f
It's Private Members' Bill day in Commons and a Tory MP reveals Govt will back his bill to overturn the expansion London's ULEZ. Performative politics ahead of May elxn, but Tory Mayors shd be as worried as Labour ones by this direct attack on devolution. https://t.co/Ut0yoPIUn1
Conservative MP Gareth Johnson says the government will back his private member’s bill to scrap the expansion of Ulez. Whatever one’s views on Ulez itself, it would be a striking attack on devolution to use Westminster legislation to reverse the policy of an elected mayor.