Gove could overturn Khan’s decision to block cars for Ukraine scheme
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Michael Gove is considering ways to overrule Sadiq Khan’s decision to block the sending of cars that will be scrapped under the Ulez scheme to Ukraine, The Telegraph understands.
Mr Khan, the London Mayor, has claimed Ulez non-compliant 4x4s cannot be sent to Ukraine because they do not meet the legal threshold that requires the scrappage scheme to benefit Londoners from “an economic, social and environmental perspective”.
However, Mr Gove, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, is looking at ways the vehicles could be donated to Ukraine and whether the section of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 cited by Mr Khan can be overruled.
Grants Shapps, the Defence Secretary, is also exploring ways that could be achieved. He said in a speech at Lancaster House on Monday: “I am working with colleagues in Government to secure the transfer of roadworthy vehicles from London, that were due to be scrapped under the Ulez scheme, to Kyiv to help in the war effort.”
A source close to Mr Shapps told The Telegraph: “Grant is genuinely angry that Khan is hiding behind a technicality. He should be doing everything he can, like the British Government is, to support Ukraine’s fight against Putin.”
Meanwhile, a Conservative Party source accused Mr Khan of applying “sketchy legal arguments” to block the cars move, which was initially proposed by Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv.
“Sadiq Khan has been caught out and is resorting his old tricks as a former lawyer, throwing around sketchy legal arguments to dig himself out of a hole,” the source told The Telegraph.
“The GLA Act does not prohibit the scrappage scheme from allowing people to donate vehicles to Ukraine, so long as the scheme’s main purpose is to deliver social, economic or environmental improvements in London.”
Last week The Telegraph obtained a letter from Mr Khan to Mr Klitschko, in which he said that he would not allow the vehicles to be sent to Ukraine.
In March 2023, RAC research suggested that nearly 700,000 cars registered in Greater London were Ulez non-compliant, which prompted Mr Klitschko to make enquiries to his counterpart in September.
He asked whether some of those vehicles could be donated to Ukraine, where they would be painted with camouflage, fitted with machine-gun or rocket launchers, and used on the front line. He said the move would have “enormous potential” and be used in a “variety of life-saving and transport roles”.
A spokesman for Mr Khan said: “Sadiq is calling on the Government to temporarily alter the national regulations for the certificate of destruction, which is required as proof that a vehicle has been permanently scrapped, to enable the export of suitable vehicles to the Ukraine via a registered charity or national scheme.
“Officials are already in discussions, and we are optimistic the Government will listen to our pleas to enable Londoners to receive money for taking polluting vehicles off London’s streets while helping the people of Ukraine.”
