Croydon's Mayor has launched a stinging public critique of a local Labour MP after she mistakenly emailed him instead of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, requesting a justification for the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion. The political gaffe has reignited fierce debate over the controversial policy's rollout across outer London in 2023.
A Case of Mistaken Identity Sparks Political Firestorm
Mayor Jason Perry, a Conservative, described himself as "quite frankly astonished" after receiving an email from Croydon East MP Natasha Irons dated January 12. The correspondence, which Ms Irons later confirmed was intended for Mayor Khan, asked for justification of the ULEZ expansion affecting one of her constituents.
Mayor Perry promptly shared the error on social media, publishing Ms Irons' email alongside his detailed response. He used the opportunity to renew his longstanding attack on the policy's implementation across outer London, criticising what he perceives as Labour's inconsistent position on the matter.
The Constituent's Plight and Political Implications
In her email, Ms Irons detailed the case of an 80-year-old resident from Addiscombe who she claimed was being "overcharged" for having a non-compliant 12-year-old Rover Mini. The MP stated that the pensioner lived on a fixed income, which severely impacted her ability to upgrade her vehicle to meet ULEZ standards.
Ms Irons also raised concerns about the enforcement cameras extended to cover Addiscombe, describing them as representing an "unnecessary level of surveillance". She concluded by requesting justification for the expansion that she could share with her constituents.
Mayor Perry's Forceful Response
In his social media post on Wednesday, January 21, Mayor Perry delivered a passionate rebuttal, describing it as "breathtaking" for a Labour MP to ask a Conservative Mayor to justify a policy imposed by the Labour Mayor of London. He emphasised that the policy had been supported by Labour councillors and Croydon's Labour mayoral candidate Rowenna Davis.
The Mayor reminded Ms Irons that he had publicly opposed the ULEZ expansion during a formal Croydon Council debate in February 2023. At that time, he warned that the policy would disproportionately punish elderly residents, carers, tradespeople and low-income households who rely on cars because, in his words, "public transport in outer London is simply not fit for purpose".
Conflicting Evidence and Political Standoff
Mayor Perry cited a recent University of Birmingham study which claimed the outer London ULEZ expansion had produced no measurable impact on nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides or particulate matter. However, these findings directly conflict with a City Hall report published in March last year which asserted that NO₂ levels in outer London were 4.8 per cent lower than would have been expected without the expansion.
The Mayor also noted that Croydon's ULEZ vehicle compliance rate already exceeds 90 per cent, while claiming that many residents had expressed anger over Labour's local and national position on the controversial policy.
Election Season Tensions and Policy Debate
With Mayor Perry standing for re-election in May 2026, he committed to continue campaigning for the outer London ULEZ expansion to be scrapped, describing it as both unfair and ineffective. In a pointed question directed at his main opponents in the upcoming local election, he challenged: "If Labour MPs and candidates in Croydon now accept that this policy has failed, the honest course of action would be to say so publicly - and stop asking others to justify Labour's decisions for them."
Apology and Clarification
Natasha Irons MP subsequently told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "This email was sent in error and was intended for the Mayor of London. My team and I were seeking clarification on what support is available to my constituent."
She went on to thank Jason Perry "for bringing this to our attention", adding: "We will ensure that all similar correspondence are sent to the correct recipient." The incident highlights the ongoing political tensions surrounding ULEZ as both local and mayoral elections approach, with transport and environmental policies remaining key battleground issues across London's boroughs.
