LABOUR is blaming the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme for their by-election defeat in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed says those responsible for expansion of the policy to the fringes of London will now need to reflect on their decision.

Despite Labour’s hopes of winning the seat held by Boris Johnson with a majority of 7,210 in 2019, Conservative candidate Steve Tuckwell, a leading figure on Hillingdon Council, managed to retain it by less than 500 votes.

Speaking after the count at Queensmead Sports Centre in South Ruislip, Mr Reed pinpointed Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ scheme as a significant factor for their defeat.

He told the PA news agency: “I think the winning Conservative candidate just said it, didn’t he? He said that ,if it wasn’t for ULEZ, he believes Labour would have won this by-election.

“Clearly, it did resonate with a lot of people. They didn’t like the fact that ULEZ was going to cost people more to drive around at a time when there’s a cost-of-living crisis going on.

“I think, when the voters speak, any party that seeks to govern has to listen. So that’s what Labour will be doing after this.”

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner also blamed ULEZ for the failure to snatch the seat, vacated by the former prime minister’s resignation from Parliament.

She told BBC Breakfast: “I think one of the things we have to reflect on today is not only the mood against the Tories, but also the decision in Uxbridge was related to ULEZ.

“The Uxbridge result shows that ,when you don’t listen to the voters, you don’t win elections.”

The Labour candidate, Danny Beales, had expressed his reservations about the policy, saying the timing was not appropriate for expanding the £12.50 daily charge on cars that do not meet emissions standards.

The failure to overturn the Tory majority in the seat was dubbed “ULOSS” by a Labour source in a sign of unease at Mr Khan’s plan.

Mr Tuckwell received 13,965 votes to Mr Beales’s 13,470.

Newly-elected Mr Tuckwell told reporters: “My campaign has been incredibly single-minded and it’s really been in complete opposition to ULEZ from the outset.

“That’s not me saying that, it’s not me that called the referendum on ULEZ. It is the people of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

“I think there will Labour MPs in outer London boroughs who will be looking at this result tonight with sweaty palms.”