London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has come under fire from Defence Secretary Grant Shapps for rejecting a proposal to send scrapped cars to Ukraine as part of the Ulez clean air scheme. Shapps criticized Khan for getting his priorities "badly wrong" and called the decision "shameful and embarrassing."

Proposal to aid Ukraine

Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, wrote to Khan in September suggesting that cars bound for the scrapheap under Ulez be repurposed for the Ukrainian army. Klitschko argued that these vehicles could be of great help in various life-saving and transport roles.

Khan's response

Khan, however, rejected the proposal, stating that it did not meet the necessary legal requirements for the scheme to benefit Londoners from an economic, social, and environmental perspective. In response, Khan has set up a website for Londoners to directly donate their non-compliant vehicles to Ukraine. He has also reached out to the GLA, TfL, London Fire Brigade, and the Met to explore the possibility of sending suitable vehicles to Ukraine, with several fire engines already being sent to assist the cause.

Shapps' criticism

Shapps criticized Khan's decision, emphasizing that the scrapped cars are roadworthy and could have been instrumental in the fight against Russia. He believes that Khan is doubling down on an unpopular policy and hopes that voters will express their disagreement at the ballot box.

It remains to be seen how this clash between Khan and Shapps will play out, but one thing is clear: the controversy surrounding the Ulez clean air scheme continues.