Sadiq Khan has been accused of “going into hiding” over his “disastrous” Ulez scheme by the Conservative London Mayoral candidate.
Susan Hall has slammed the mayor for moving a public question time event online, in a bid to avoid protest and disruption.
The upcoming People’s Question Time (PQT) – an event which takes place twice a year – will not have an in-person audience.
It is due to take place in Richmond on February 29.
Susan Hall has slammed the mayor for moving a People’s Question Time event online after criticism after Ulez
PA
At the November PQT, Khan was heckled by audience members opposed to the Ulez expansion, behaviour City Hall deemed as “threatening”.
In March 2023, at the event held in Ealing, sections of the audience shouted angrily at the mayor over Ulez at several points.
However, Hall has slammed Khan for his reasons for changing the format of the bi-annual event. Writing for GB News, she said: “His excuse? Audience members booed him over his Ulez expansion policy, and therefore he is concerned about his personal safety. He is a joke.
“As you would expect, these events always have a strong security presence and there has never been anything close to a physical threat to the Mayor or Assembly Members.
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The Ulez was expanded in August 2023 PA“The only threat he is concerned about is being embarrassed by his mounting unpopularity ahead of the election.”
Neil Garratt, City Hall Conservatives leader, echoed Hall’s sentiments. He said: “Sadiq Khan is running scared of scrutiny.
“Twice in January he announced policies straight after London Assembly meetings because he knew his half-baked plans would not stand up to our questioning.
“Now he’s dodging Londoners’ questions as well, banning the people from People’s Question Time so he can hide online.
“Every other Mayor has attended People’s Question Time in person. Sadiq Khan is afraid to face Londoners and he’s afraid to face scrutiny.”
Sadiq Khan was slammed by his Mayoral opponent Susan Hall
PAThe mayoral election is due to take place in May, running simultaneously with the London Assembly and local elections.
The February 29 event is the last PQT before the upcoming election.
According to assembly members, police advice has not been given as a reason for moving the latest event online.
Hall blasted Khan as a “coward” for failing to be held accountable on a public stage, saying that “Londoners need a mayor with balls”.
“It's a slap in the face of democracy and a desperate attempt to mute the voices of those he disagrees with. And it’s yet another smear tactic,” she said.
“At a People’s Question Time last year, he suggested that anyone opposed to his Ulez expansion was 'in coalition with the far-right.'
“Now he’s suggesting that they pose a security threat to him, with no evidence to support this whatsoever. He’s a coward.
"He refuses to face the very people whose lives are being turned upside down by his disastrous Ulez expansion."
The Ulez expansion has been met with protestsPA Khan’s controversial clean-air scheme was expanded in August last year to Greater London with drivers of non-compliant vehicles now expected to pay £12.50 a day to drive into the city.
An automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system identifies vehicles which are required to pay.
Anyone who drives within the zone with a non-compliant vehicle and fails to pay the daily fee are initially sent warning letters before further action is taken.
Opponents of the clean air scheme have taken matters into their own hands, cutting down cameras in an effort to thwart Transport for London’s (TFL) attempts to catch incompatible vehicles.
Since the expansion, cameras which now cover the whole of Greater London have been stolen or damaged 1,000 times.
Despite the fierce opposition, Khan has stressed that he is "immensely proud" of how his administration has tackled the climate crisis through measures such as Ulez.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will bring cleaner air to five million more people and will save lives and protect children’s lungs.
“The Mayor has always been clear that expanding the ULEZ was a difficult but necessary decision, and he listened closely to those with concerns. That’s why he expanded the scrappage scheme to ensure any Londoner affected is eligible to apply for thousands of pounds in help.”