Why dud Labour lose Uxbridge? Was it really because of ULEZ or some other reason?

No, it wouldn't, but it would please a lot of others. Carers, nurses, low paid workers, deliverers and others are going nuts in my borough (Bromley) if they live here or have to drive in from places like outer Kent to work here.

I read the article. The reasons for the Uxbridge outcome are probably numerous and depend on individual voters but ULEZ
was clearly an issue worth the locally based Tory winner campaigning on. I think parachuting in a candidate from London when the local Labour (in this case) party had a list of local candidates smacks of arrogance and would turn off some activists from helping. It happens too often in my opinion and sends a message that local wishes don't count.

Grantanow

I read the article. The reasons for the Uxbridge outcome are probably numerous and depend on individual voters but ULEZ
was clearly an issue worth the locally based Tory winner campaigning on. I think parachuting in a candidate from London when the local Labour (in this case) party had a list of local candidates smacks of arrogance and would turn off some activists from helping. It happens too often in my opinion and sends a message that local wishes don't count.

I agree. Activists understandably feel more enthusiastic about someone they know and have chosen themselves.

If that was the reason it’s not going to affect the general election result, because all parties do exactly the same. I speak from experience, we’ve got a Tory MP parachuted in from Cardiff where I am.

Well, Uxbridge is a London borough so he wasn't parachuted in miles, unlike in some constituencies.

The Tory candidate turned it into a ULEZ issue and many voters are unhappy about it.

Sometimes, elections become a one issue thing, as Brexit did in 2019, which won Tories such a huge majority.

Next time, ULEZ won't be an issue. Brexit won't be an issue in the GE either.

DiamondLily

No, it wouldn't, but it would please a lot of others. Carers, nurses, low paid workers, deliverers and others are going nuts in my borough (Bromley) if they live here or have to drive in from places like outer Kent to work here.

Quite, I live in a outer London Borough, and ULEZ is not liked by alot of people.

I bought a ULEZ compatible car last year without even trying, a Hyundai i120, no more expensive that any other compatibly sized car for its year. In fact, I thought I was getting a lot for my money.

DiamondLily

Well, Uxbridge is a London borough so he wasn't parachuted in miles, unlike in some constituencies.

The Tory candidate turned it into a ULEZ issue and many voters are unhappy about it.

Sometimes, elections become a one issue thing, as Brexit did in 2019, which won Tories such a huge majority.

Next time, ULEZ won't be an issue. Brexit won't be an issue in the GE either.

He was actually born there but hadn't lived there for years. It seems local labour did not support him. labourlist.org/2023/07/what-went-wrong-in-uxbridge-a-view-from-the-constituency-labour-party/

My petrol car is ULEZ compliant. My husband’s diesel is not. So if we were affected by ULEZ he would have to pay the charge or buy another car. Of course it’s entirely possible that if we were affected by ULEZ his would be our only car, we wouldn’t be able to afford to change it and we would be sufficiently disabled to be unable to use public transport. What then?

Germanshepherdsmum

My petrol car is ULEZ compliant. My husband’s diesel is not. So if we were affected by ULEZ he would have to pay the charge or buy another car. Of course it’s entirely possible that if we were affected by ULEZ his would be our only car, we wouldn’t be able to afford to change it and we would be sufficiently disabled to be unable to use public transport. What then?

I don't know. DH was disabled and had a Motability car. As you have to change them every 3/5 years, they are compliant anyway.

I’m so grateful I’m not in that position, reliant on a Motability car. Would I still receive visitors if I lived in a ULEZ and they had non-compliant cars? People can so easily become isolated, even in an urban area.

I’m sure ULEZ was part of the problem, however Johnson is more popular than many realize and many think he was “hard done by”

oh dear- you are jesting I hope!

M0nica

I have said from the start that blaiming ULEZ for the Conservative victory was misleading. Most cars are ULEZ compatible anyway, so there would not be enough votes in i.

As for blaming 'the poor' who would have to sell their old ULEZ cars to buy new ones (???????), they would not be voting Conservative anyway.

As for blaming 'the poor' who would have to sell their old ULEZ cars to buy new ones (???????), they would not be voting Conservative anyway.

I think you might be wrong there MOnica.

The poor, the not-so poor - and the wealthy - do not necessarily vote according to the strict 'confines' of their class.

And even within the Left and Right there are wide variations. I have Conservative-voting acquaintances who have a sense of 'social-justice' along with those who are more to the Right. The poor do not all vote Labour, either.

There are those in each group, also, who are more 'middle of the road'. My ex neighbour, a white-van-man driver - a builder - has become very "green" in his political outlook (he continually mails me about environmental 'issues').

Strict confines of their class ? How absolutely dreadful. Glad I don’t live there.

Katie59

I’m sure ULEZ was part of the problem, however Johnson is more popular than many realize and many think he was “hard done by”

I met people in London who said the Conservatives are finished. I was hopeful of change, but then one of them said the worst thing they did was get rid of Johnson, and the others agreed with him.

MayBee70

I’m rather fed up of it being constantly being pointed out by the media that Labour lost Uxbridge when it was a case of the Conservatives retaining it.

eaxctly! Labour did not 'lose' Uxbridge, it was not theirs to lose. The Tories scraped enough votes to hold on to it with a dramatically reduced majority. Very different. Meanwhile, there is very little coverage of the two Tory catastrophic results in the other two by elections.

M0nica

I bought a ULEZ compatible car last year without even trying, a Hyundai i120, no more expensive that any other compatibly sized car for its year. In fact, I thought I was getting a lot for my money.

So because you can afford it, everybody can?
Let them eat cake?
From the horse’s mouth -
Research from Auto Trader last week found that car buyers were being charged £3,000 more for Ulez-compliant vehicles when compared with identical non-compliant models

But I dont care about the seats the Tories lost, I do care about the ones Labour didnt win, and it's important to look at some of the reasons why that might have happened. It is unlikely to be anything as simple as social media or ULEZ.

Sadie Khan has backed down, now anyone can get a £2000 grant to get a compliant car or £7000 for a van. That isnt going to get done by 29th August I predict a delay maybe a year so everyone can make the changes.

That would make more sense Katie59 cos you can’t just make deadlines without the support needed.
Which is why a deadline for no new petrol or diesel cars by seven years time seems undoable. Some things look good on paper but affect real lives in practice.

Katie59

Sadie Khan has backed down, now anyone can get a £2000 grant to get a compliant car or £7000 for a van. That isnt going to get done by 29th August I predict a delay maybe a year so everyone can make the changes.

Well, yes, but now Surrey and Kent residents are arguing they need to drive into London and want the subsidy.🙄

Khan was on TV a couple of hours ago. He said no delay, no exemptions.

Meanwhile:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12373041/Anti-Ulez-activist-climbs-lamppost-uses-drill-pull-camera.html

Katie59

Sadie Khan has backed down, now anyone can get a £2000 grant to get a compliant car or £7000 for a van. That isnt going to get done by 29th August I predict a delay maybe a year so everyone can make the changes.

Why is this being reported as Khan 'backing down'? Had he previously refused to set up a scrappage scheme?

The RAC estimate that 850,000 cars and vans within London are not ULEZ compliant that is not going to be rectified in 3 weeks.
Nor are the cars going in from surrounding counties, maybe Khan is counting on massive income from fines.