Sadiq Khan is mobbed by an angry crowd at a public rally as he labeled some ULEZ opponents as ‘far right’ and ‘Covid deniers’
- The Mayor of London took part in a People’s Question Time session in Ealing
Sadiq Khan was sitting in a barracks at a public rally last night when he labeled some ULEZ opponents as “far right” and “Covid deniers.”
London’s mayor held a ‘People’s Question Time’ in Ealing as the extraordinary confrontation unfolded.
Tensions have been running high for months over the £12.50 charging zone expansion – which will cover all boroughs from August.
Critics, including some London Labor MPs, have labeled the policy a “tax attack” and warned it will come at a price for key workers and others who have no choice but to use vehicles outside the capital.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan held a ‘People’s Question Time’ in Ealing as the extraordinary confrontation unfolded
During last night’s ill-tempered session, Mr Khan compared the situation about ULEZ to complaints before the ban on smoking in public was introduced more than a decade ago.
“However, what I find unacceptable is that those who have legitimate objections are joining forces with some outsiders who are part of a far-right group…”
Shaking his head amid clamors of protest from the crowd, Mr Khan continued: “Let’s face it, let’s call a shovel a shovel… some of those outside are part of the far right, some are Covid deniers, some are deniers of vaccines. and some are Tories.”
At that point the booing became so loud that the chairman had to step in and warn that the meeting might have to be aborted.
Mr Khan eventually continued: “Some of you have good reasons to oppose ULEZ, but you are in a coalition with Covid deniers… you may not like it… you are in a coalition with the far right. And you are also in a coalition with vaccine deniers.’
Peter Fortune, the Tories deputy leader at City Hall, fired back at Mr Khan: ‘If you disagree with the mayor, he will portray you as far right… he will say you are a flat-earth … he won’t comment on the fact that you have legitimate concerns.”
He added, “It’s about finances. Ultimately, this is about the mismanagement of TfL (Transport for London).
Peter Fortune, Tory deputy leader at City Hall, fired back at Mr Khan: “If you disagree with the mayor, he will portray you as far right.”
“He never talks about the financial impact on people…he never wants to talk about that because the reality is he’s filling a financial gap in TfL.”
Tory London AM Nick Rogers replied afterwards that the comments were ‘some of the most outrageous I’ve ever heard from a politician’.
Labeling those who oppose his ULEZ expansion as ‘extreme right’ is not okay. If he can’t withstand the pressure of being mayor, he has to resign.’
Mr Khan tweeted afterwards: ‘Good to be answering questions in Ealing about how we are dealing with genuine concerns about ULEZ’s expansion, whilst ensuring our children are no longer breathing poison.
“To the conspiracy theorists who tried to disrupt tonight’s #PQT: Londoners don’t have time for your dangerous misinformation.”
Sources said some protesters outside the event were “organised far right” and carried swastika posters.
