Voters in Uxbridge have reacted to the narrow Conservative Party win in last week’s by-election, citing the controversial ULEZ expansion and former MP Boris Johnson as decisive influences.
Conservative Party candidate Steve Tuckwell secured a 495 majority against Labour candidate Danny Beales after a recount in a tight by-election battle, in which the Conservatives lost 7.5% of the vote share since the 2019 general election.
Neil Edwards, 60, a supply chain manager who lives in Uxbridge, voted Labour in the by-election.
He said: “I saw it as a national opportunity to comment on how the Conservatives have been doing for the last 13 years.
“My view is that they’ve been doing a really really bad job.
“I think Sadiq Khan is in a way responsible for Labour’s loss. There would definitely have been 500 votes lost over ULEZ.”
The ULEZ expansion aims to tackle air pollution and congestion by charging drivers of diesel, older petrol cars and other vehicles which don’t meet emission standards £12.50 a day to drive in restricted zones.
Steven Transon, 21, an unemployed man who lives in Hillingdon, also voted Labour and said: “The Conservatives need to go, honestly they’re ruining this country.
“If Labour don’t go into power it is what it is but it’d be nice if they did.”
Sylvie Wilson, 61, a carer who lives in Harefield, Hillingdon, voted Conservative and disagreed with the ULEZ expansion.
She said: “Disabled people who have to use a car, they haven’t got a choice with trains or buses, there are some people who have to use a car.
“I absolutely do not think very much of the Mayor of London.”
Wilson added she had voted Conservative previously and supported Johnson despite his flaws as she believes he actually got things done.
Simon Harrison, 73, from the Uxbridge area, voted for the Liberal Democrats, but pointed out that the new MP was from Hillingdon, unlike Johnson.
Harrison added that it was unwise to draw too many conclusions from this result ahead of the next general election, which is widely expected to be held at the back end of next year.
He said: “There’s a lot of time yet, so I think its unwise to make any firm predictions about it.”
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