Keir Starmer urges cities to look at non-ULEZ schemes saying there are ‘other ways’ of cutting pollution as Labour infighting with Sadiq Khan rages

Keir Starmer urged cities to look at non-ULEZ schemes as Labour infighting with Sadiq Khan rages.

Sir Keir stressed there are ‘other ways’ of cutting pollution as he was grilled about the controversial policy on a visit to Scotland.

Deep Labour splits have emerged over the London Mayor’s plan to expand the £12.50-a-day charging zone later this month.

The leadership was alarmed when the Tories managed to cling on in the Uxbridge & South Ruislip by-election, helped by a wave of anger at ULEZ. 

But despite Sir Keir making clear he wants the approach to change, Mr Khan has insisted the move will go ahead, stressing that he has a legal obligation to ensure clean air for Londoners. 

Asked whether party policy had changed this morning, Sir Keir said: ‘Let me tell you what I want to change: I want clean air.

‘I don’t think anybody in this country should be breathing dirty air, any more than I think they should be drinking dirty water.

Keir Starmer stressed there are ‘other ways’ of cutting pollution as he was grilled about the controversial policy on a visit to a distillery in Edinburgh today 

Deep Labour splits have emerged over the London Mayor’s plan to expand the £12.50-a-day charging zone later this month

‘What I don’t want is schemes that disproportionately impact on people in the middle of the cost-of-living crisis, so we need to look at options for achieving what we all need to achieve, which is clean air.

‘There are other ways of achieving this, so my driving principle is clean air, absolutely yes, but a proportionate way of getting there and looking at what the options are for other cities, other places doing it in different ways.’

It comes after a Labour commitment to support ‘the principle of clean air zones’ across the country was removed from a key policy document.

Labour sources have confirmed that the pledge has been officially dropped and will not make it into next year’s General Election manifesto.

Senior Tories condemned the latest U-turn by the Labour leadership, which has significantly altered several policies since Sir Keir became leader in 2020.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said Ulez expansion would ‘punish the poorest’.

He added: ‘Two-faced Starmer changes his mind as often as the wind.’

Labour Party officials pointed out that clean air zones are current government policy. A source said: ‘The Tories are the ones who have pushed councils to introduce them.’

Despite Sir Keir making clear he wants the approach to change, Sadiq Khan (pictured) has insisted the move will go ahead, stressing that he has a legal obligation to ensure clean air for Londoners