Cleverly Vows to End Sadiq Khan’s Motorist War
Traveloasisspot.com – James Cleverly vows to end Sadiq Khan’s what he calls a punitive regime on drivers across the capital. The former foreign and home secretary formally entered the London mayoral race on Saturday, stepping down from the Conservative front bench where he had held the shadow housing, communities and local government portfolio since July of the previous year. He confirmed he will campaign from the back benches and will not stand again in his Braintree seat at the next general election.
Challenging the Incumbent’s Transport Agenda
The Labour mayor is halfway through a third consecutive term and has not yet declared whether he will contest the May 2028 ballot. In a Telegraph interview, the new candidate framed his entire pitch around one grievance: the financial and practical toll placed on motorists under policies introduced during the incumbent’s tenure.
“I think there’s been a real war on the motorist. In outer London, this really quite vindictive assault on drivers — both people that drive for family reasons and for people that drive for business — is causing real harm. So I want to look at a whole range of options to ease the costs and pressure of people getting around the city and doing business in the city.”
At the centre of the critique sits the Ultra Low Emission Zone, a daily charge introduced in 2019 that requires vehicles failing strict emissions standards to pay a fee to enter designated areas. The candidate stated he would commission a full review of the scheme if elected, signalling a potential rollback or major restructuring. For residents of outer boroughs commuting into the city, the cumulative cost of ULEZ stacked on top of congestion charges has become a recurring political flashpoint, and his framing positions him squarely against the incumbent’s environmental transport agenda.
Turning the Spotlight on Burnham and the Fairer Funding Review
The campaign pitch extends well beyond the mayor. In remarks to LBC on Sunday, the former minister directed sustained criticism at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government, singling out Andy Burnham — the ex-mayor of Manchester now occupying a senior ministerial role — for what he described as a structural hostility toward the capital.
“The fact is Andy Burnham, for all his careful phraseology, is basically very, very anti-London. You can see this not just in what he’s saying but what he’s doing. He’s stripping hundreds of millions of pounds out of the budget of London councils.”
The reference points to the Government’s fairer funding review, launched during Starmer’s premiership, which seeks to redirect central-government cash from wealthier local authorities toward more deprived areas. Under the revised allocations, several London boroughs face material reductions in their funding settlements. Conservative leaders of Westminster, Wandsworth, and Kensington & Chelsea councils have publicly warned the shortfall will force them either to raise council tax sharply or to cut frontline services.
The candidate drew a parallel between Burnham’s ministerial portfolio and his earlier years as Manchester mayor, arguing that the prime minister’s devolution agenda concentrates fiscal power in Burnham’s former backyard while the capital absorbs the losses. He added: “He is blaming London for London’s own success. The UK cannot be successful as a country unless London is successful as a city. And I see this in Braintree. Andy Burnham just doesn’t get it… He’s got a war with London, and London needs someone to fight its corner.”
The Government pushed back, maintaining the funding changes correct an outdated system in which some of the wealthiest parts of the country “benefitted from exceptionally high levels of government support, while communities facing greater pressures lost out.” Labour, in turn, accused the Conservatives of having “trashed the economy” during their time in office and leaving ordinary households to absorb the costs.
FAQ
When is the next London mayoral election? The ballot is scheduled for May 2028. Khan has not yet confirmed whether he will seek a fourth term.
What exactly does ULEZ charge, and when did it start? The Ultra Low Emission Zone, introduced in 2019, levies a daily fee on vehicles that do not meet defined emissions standards when they enter designated London areas. The candidate has pledged a full policy review if elected.
Will Cleverly stand in Braintree at the next general election? No. He confirmed on Saturday that he will not seek re-election in his Braintree constituency and will campaign for the mayoralty from the back benches.
What is the fairer funding review? It is a Government initiative under the Starmer premiership that redirects central-government funding from wealthier local authorities to more deprived areas. Several London boroughs face material budget reductions under the revised allocations.
