Rishi Sunak dodges questions on 'Tory-run' Ulez Facebook groups rife with Sadiq Khan abuse

The Prime Minister has dodged questions about anti-Ulez Facebook groups that contain “Islamophobia and death threats” aimed at London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Rishi Sunak was asked if he would investigate the pages set up in opposition of the Ultra Low Emission Zone after it was revealed many were “run by officials within the Conservative Party” and mayoral candidate Susan Hall was a member of them.

Labour has reported the groups to police after Mr Khan was described as a “terrorist sympathiser” in posts and members appeared to celebrate the destruction of Ulez cameras and made comments expressing disbelief that the Mayor had not been “taken out”.

During Prime Minister's Questions Hornsey and Wood Green MP Catherine West said: “The Conservative candidate for the Mayor of London is actually a member of the six Facebook groups...they are full of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and the most disgraceful incitement to damaging property and the worst bit... death threats to the current Mayor of London Mr Khan.

“Will [Mr Sunak] close down these Facebook [pages] which have been [started] by Conservative members of staff and will he investigate the roll of the current candidate and her membership of those disgraceful, racist Facebooks.”

Mr Sunak insisted he was “not aware” of the social media pages. He urged Londoners to back the Conservatives in tomorrow's Mayoral election, claiming a vote for Labour is for higher taxes, more crime and the Ulez.

He said: “The election tomorrow will be fought on the substance of the issues that Londoners face and the Labour record is crystal clear.

“House building in London has collapsed, knife crime is rising, mayoral taxes are up 70 per cent and drivers have been hit with Ulez charges and the Labour just simply panders to unions and has decimated London's nighttime economy.

“That's his record. That's how he will be judged and people across London know that they will be safer with the Conservatives with lower taxes and better services.”

An investigation by Greenpeace’s Unearthed found that 36 anti-Ulez groups were being “run by officials within the Conservative Party”.Ms Hall was already a member of six and appeared to join another - “Bexley say no to Ulez expansion” - this week, just days after an investigation found the pages were rife with offensive content about the Labour Mayor.

The Standard has previously reported that senior London Tories have been accused of “condoning criminality” after it was revealed they help run social media groups that have celebrated the destruction of Ulez cameras and shared conspiracy theories about Sadiq Khan.

Uxbridge MP Steve Tuckwell was among the Conservatives, who include councillors and council leaders, administrating Facebook groups protesting the expansion of the clean air zone.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “The Conservative Party unequivocally condemns all discriminatory language, and never encourages nor condones vandalism or criminal activity.

“The Conservative Party is reviewing its processes and policies regarding Facebook groups.”