Asking ULEZ protestors about climate change, conspiracy theories, and Sadiq Khan | Extreme Britain



by avcghjiii

14 comments

  2. It hit 40C in London two summers ago, it will soon start doing that regularly.

    Fucking cretins.

  3. People still using that V for Vendetta mask, hilarious.

  5. So biggin hill blockers stop working class people from doing their jobs?

  6. “There has been enough counter-scientific studies done”

    About sums it up. Fuck me

  7. It always smacks me of covered racism. They don’t actually say it (though the woman at 3:27 nearly does – “He might’ve been born here, but he’s not for London”), but I suspect they wouldn’t be as fussed if some white bloke was mayor (conveniently forgetting that ULEZ was Boris’s idea…).

    They look so fucking pleased with their little song though, don’t they?!

  10. I have lived in ‘Outer London’ for the past 14 years, having lived in central London for most of my life. Most of my Borough is multicultural London: well-connected to the centre by train and bus; populated by upwardly mobile immigrants, middle class commuters, creatives who work from home, etc. More languages are spoken here than in many parts of the inner city.

    By contrast, I can also fully recognise the people in the video and could pinpoint the areas of the where they would be most likely to live: estates on the edge of the Borough that have a cut-off or semi-detached feel, because they have fewer amenities and far less access to public transport. They are culturally working class, but mostly own their own homes and are self-employed, often in husband and wife teams or extended family businesses. They are very dependent on their cars and vans, which they associate with ‘being independent’. When you leave aside their political views for a moment (difficult I know), they are good people with a proud tradition of self-reliance.

    While I totally disagree with the conclusions they have reached (through misinformation) on politics and the environment and unequivocally condemn the tendency to racism and Islamophobia, I can sympathise with them on a human level. I can also understand why they feel that they have been ignored and sidelined, and why this has made them vulnerable to simplistic populist propaganda and conspiracy theories.

    Engaging with people like the characters in the video is going to be difficult and challenging for those of us who want to improve the environment and the quality of life, but we have to try. One way to start would be for Sadiq (if re-elected – and I hope he will be) to address urgently the inequality of access to public transport between inner and outer London, which was cited quite articulately by one of the demonstrators.

  11. It’s not just about climate change. Your exhaust is going right under your own noses you idiots. And you wonder why got lung cancer, right?

  12. The way ULEZ was brought in was too harsh, too draconian. That’s what riles a lot of people. No consideration for those that can”t afford it. As usual the poor come out worse. We’re all for cleaner cities but there has to be a fairer way to phase this in. No wonder Khan has lost all this support, he’s just not listened to the multitude of people that are genuinely struggling with this legislation. Then the looney Right pick it up, exploit and garner support from the dispossessed and here we are looking like Trump town. Doesn’t take a genius to understand what’s going on.

  14. Working classes absolutely obsessed with voting for Tories because of their shared interest in…disliking….certain minority groups will never not be funny to me. Sad, but funny.

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