Ulez key to tackling ‘unacceptably high’ child illness and death, doctors say
GuardianAug 02, 2023
London Mayor Accused of Stifling Dissent Over Emissions Zones
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The Facts
Newly-released emails show the office of London Mayor Sadiq Khan pressuring a scientist to downplay a study released which showed that London's Ultra-Low Emissions Zones program has a negligible effect on pollution, leading some to question the Mayor's office's relationship with the scientists it funds.
The emails show Khan's environment and energy deputy, Shirley Rodrigues, telling Imperial College London researcher Frank Kelly that the mayor's office was "really disappointed" the college decided to release a study questioning the effectiveness of the zones.
The Spin
Right narrative
These findings give proof to what people have known all along: Ultra-Low Emissions Zones are nothing but a cash grab and are not supported by science. Cash-strapped Londoners could see an added expense of thousands of pounds a year imposed on them amid a cost-of-living crisis. This policy needs to be reversed, as Sadiq Khan's Labour Party will seemingly stop at nothing to fleece citizens with this faux-green guise.
Left narrative
What Khan's office has done is not improper — it was merely providing feedback on the next steps in the process. Air pollution is a killer, and the government needs to take action to keep Londoners healthy. This program is a step in the right direction and will help tackle the scourges of climate change, pollution, and a looming health crisis over dirty air.
