Watch: Khan claims Ulez has been ‘weaponised’ by conspiracy theorists

Following Labour’s shock defeat in the Uxbridge by-election, Keir Starmer suggested that Sadiq Khan ‘reflect’ on his Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) crusade. A month on from that result, how exactly is the reflection going? Tuning into LBC today, Mr S was amused to discover that the London Mayor has found the answer to why Ulez is so unpopular: tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorists. Asked by host James O’Brien, that fearless seeker of truth, if he was surprised by the level of opposition, Khan replied:

I didn’t expect for there to be people linking my policies to cleaning up the air with conspiracy theories. I did expect people to have genuine concerns, and I have been listening to those genuine concerns. I didn’t expect this to be weaponised by those who you and I have exchanged with, who didn’t believe Covid was real, believed in conspiracy theories and so forth.

His interview today follows the revelation by the Sunday Telegraph that Khan’s deputy mayor Shirley Rodrigues repeatedly asked air quality expert Frank Kelly to counter research questioning the benefits of Ulez.