The contours of the Conservatives’ campaign at next year’s general election are emerging earlier than they expected. Rishi Sunak had intended to move up a gear in the autumn – a tacit admission that his five pledges on the economy, NHS and small boats remain undelivered and have failed to close Labour’s 20-point lead in the opinion polls.
Then the Tories’ unexpected victory in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election handed Sunak a precious dividing line with a reformed Labour Party. The deciding issue – the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone – was a public health rather than environmental issue, but the £12.50-a-day charge was an irresistible opportunity to paint Labour as the party that will charge ordinary people for going green.
