The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has vowed to push ahead with his controversial ULEZ expansion, still believing the measure is “the right one” although he says he will listen to Londoners’ concerns.

Khan’s plan to extend the scheme to outer London provoked a backlash at the ballot box after voters in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-elections appeared to reject the mayor’s flagship policy.

Candidate Steve Tuckwell managed to retain Boris Johnson’s former seat for Rishi Sunak’s party in what was framed by the Conservatives as a referendum on the controversial charge on high-pollution vehicles.

Labour had hoped to take Uxbridge and South Ruislip seats, which the former Prime Minister held with a majority of 7,210 in 2019, but Mr Tuckwell held the seat with a majority of 495.

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Mr Tuckwell said: “It was his damaging and costly ULEZ policy that lost them this election.” Sadiq Khan fired back against critics just hours after the results from Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Selby and Ainsty, and Somerton and Frome came in.

Mr Khan said clean air was a “human right, not a privilege”.

He added: “Of course I am disappointed this seat, which has never been Labour in my lifetime, didn’t go Labour last night.”

The two-time elected London Mayor wants to expand the ULEZ zone to force motorists to cough up a daily charge of £12.50 if vehicles fail to meet emissions standards.

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Meanwhile, Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer warned the ULEZ campaign was the “reason” for Labour’s loss. He added: “We’ve all got to reflect on that, including the Mayor.”

Despite success in Uxbridge & South Ruislip, the Tory Party were routed in Selby & Ainsty and Somerton & Frome.

Labour’s 25-year-old candidate Keir Mather won by 4,000 votes in North Yorkshire, with a swing of 23.7 percent. He will become the youngest MP in the Commons.

The Liberal Democrats also romped to victory in Somerset as Sarah Dyke was elected as the new MP for the constituency. The party claimed to be “back in the West Country” after storming to victory. 

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