A shit noght for the Tories, despite holding onto Uxbridge with a tiny majority they were stuffed by Labour in Selby and the LibDems in Devon.
Labour and Khan need to consider the impact of the ULEZ. Whilst being implemented for the best of reasons, without a scrappage scheme, reasonably priced second hand electric cars and plentiful and reasonably priced charging points it is just another financial burden on the poorest in society at a time they can least afford it. Financial support is essential if it is to be implemented across the board – otherwise a phased introduction is necessary.
LibDems in Devon, the scale of their victory shows the great dissatisfaction with the tories in Southern England. Starmer cannot take too much succour from this result though as it would tend to point to. a potential coalition? The result in Selby was more stunning for the size of the swing from Tory to Labour. I think most thought this one would be closer than the humiliation it became. The drop in Tory votes of 26% in Selby and 30% in Somerton and Frome are an indictment of the governments performance over 13 years. Sunak is trying to put a spin on the ‘only 7% drop in Uxbridge but it is cler that without the ULEZ controversy (which Khan will surely now reconsider), Labour would have won easily. His government are without ideas, ficus or ambition.
He is likely to have a reshuffle of his cabinet, possibly as soon as today, but the paucity of ability, together with the continued prescence of the ERG means he has few options.
There was no evidence of support for the Rwanda Policy, or anything else!