Susan Hall takes aim at Sadiq Khan with ULEZ comment

London mayoral hopeful Susan Hall has slapped down Sadiq Khan by claiming his Christmas wish was the ultra-low emission zone.

Ms Hall blasted the Labour mayor for London during a grilling of London Assembly members on Thursday.

Mr Khan’s rival said: “It’s quite clear all you wanted for Christmas is ULEZ and so that goes in despite 60 per cent of people saying that they definitely did not want it. 

“Do you think it’s fair that people are going to have to either not see relatives over Christmas or pay £12.50 to you in order to come and see them if they haven’t got a car that complies?”

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Mr Khan insisted the decision to expand ULEZ into outer London in August was a “difficult decision”.

He added: “But it’s the right thing to do. Just like drinking clean water is a right, breathing clean air is a right.”

Mr Khan suggested 19 out of 20 cars are now compliant which means they do not pay a penny “but benefit from cleaner air”.

Ms Hall took aim at Mr Khan’s record on violent crime during the fiery grilling at Mayoral questions.

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The Tory London mayoral candidate slammed an almost 50 per cent rise in knife crime and a nearly 50 per cent rise in sexual violence offences under Mr Khan’s mayoral tenure.

Referring to knife crime, Ms Hall said: “For it to go up almost 50 per cent under your mayoralty is quite disgraceful”

Mr Khan insisted there had been a “significant” reduction in the offences for those under 25 – down by 15 per cent.

He added: “We will continue to make progress on this, not just by investing in police but by investing in services for young people.”

Referring to the increase in sexual offences, Ms Hall said: “Do you think Londoners deserve better than that from their Police and Crime Commissioner.”

Mr Khan said: “Unfortunately, we’ve seen across the country an epidemic of violence against women and girls.”

But Ms Hall interrupted him by saying: “No, let’s concentrate on London because that’s what you’re responsible for.”

Mr Khan said : “Unfortunately, we’ve seen in the recent past across the country, an epidemic of…”

Interjecting again, Ms Hall said: “Let’s concentrate on London because it’s London that you are responsible for.”

Mr Khan went on to blame an epidemic of violence against women and girls across the country.

He said: “That’s not escaped our great city. It’s made incredibly difficult by the fact that we’re now seeing cases listed for sexual offences for 2025 and 2026. And that often leads to high levels of attrition, with victims and survivors not going through for understandable and good reasons with the criminal case.

“What we are seeking to do is to not just encourage people to report when they’ve been the victim of sexual offences, but also to make sure that there are resources given by the government to which the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to make sure these trials reach their end.

“We’re investing more £170 million pounds in addressing the issue of violence against women and girls.”

Ms Hall cuts him off by accusing him of giving drawn-out responses to cap the amount of time for answering questions.

She said: “You do go on exceptionally long and you don’t actually answer the questions. It would be awfully helpful if you do because we’re on the clock here.

Ms Hall also blasted Mr Khan for the 994 murders in the capital since he took on the role in 2016.

She said: “If you’ve done such a good job, because you keep giving stats on how much money you’ve put in and very often you seem to think by putting money into things that will solve issues and white clearly it doesn’t.

“Knife crime has increased by 50 per cent, sexual offences have increased by around 50 per cent and 994 people have been murdered while you have been the mayor of London. Do you think that’s acceptable?”

Mr Khan accepted there has been an increase in serious violence since 2012, including homicide.

He said “one homicide is one too many but insisted the issue should not be used as a “political football” 

Ms Hall said: “Keep answers much, much shorter so we can get on. He’s just counting down the time. We know what he’s doing.”

A spokesman for Susan Hall’s mayoral campaign said: “In Sadiq Khan’s London, the Mayor dodges questions and the criminals dodge justice. 

“Londoners deserve so much better and will have the chance to vote for it next May.”

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