New Tory London mayoral candidate Susan Hall vows to kill off Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ car tax expansion ‘on day one’ as rivals jostle for party’s nomination to fight election next year
A Tory candidate for mayor of London has vowed to halt the expansion of the Ulez vehicle tax ‘on day one’ if elected.
Susan Hall, the former head of the Conservative group at City Hall, has become the latest figure to announce they would seek the party nomination for next year’s election.
She vowed to replace Mr Khan’s £12.50 daily Ultra Low Emission Zone fee for cars entering London with a ‘common sense environment plan that will clean the air, without hitting the poorest’.
Ulez, which currently only covers inner London boroughs, is set to be expanded to cover the whole of London from August.
The mayor’s decision sparked uproar from small businesses and independent traders who fear being taxed out of business.
Launching her bid, Ms Hall said: ‘We need to beat Sadiq Khan, so we can get the police working again, stop punishing people with unfair taxes, and build a lot more homes in the right places.
Susan Hall, the former head of the Conservative group at City Hall, has become the latest figure to announce they would seek the party nomination for next year’s election.
Ulez, which currently only covers inner London boroughs, is set to be expanded to cover the whole of London from August.
The mayor’s decision sparked uproar from small businesses and independent traders who fear being taxed out of business.
‘I am the only candidate with the strength and the experience to take him on and win. If I am chosen as your Conservative Mayoral candidate, I will sort this mess out with a common sense plan to fix London.
‘Not too long ago, London was a safer, happier and more tolerant city. It can be that again. If I am your candidate, we will get there.’
She is not the only candidate to promise to tackle Ulez. Former No10 aide Samuel Kasumu has vowed to allow boroughs to hold referenda on scrapping the scheme in their area.
But Ms Hall opposes his idea, saying it would cost £3million.
A spokesman for her campaign said: ‘The Mayoral candidate must set out a commitment to stopping the ULEZ expansion in their manifesto.
‘However, she is also warning the other contenders that opposition to ULEZ is not a golden ticket to City Hall and that this policy cannot be the sole focus of the Conservative pitch to voters.’
The Conservatives will name their candidate to run against Mr Khan on July 19, to give them 10 months to campaign before the vote next May.
Hustings will take place from June 12 to July 3, and members will then vote for their preferred candidate between July 4 and July 18.
Conservative Party chairman, Greg Hands said: ‘By the time of the next mayoral election, Sadiq Khan will have been in office for eight long years.
‘The Conservatives are the only party who can prevent him inflicting a decade of decline on our great city.
‘I’m confident that whichever of the great candidates is selected by our members will be the right person to take the fight to him.’
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