The Tory candidate hoping to replace Boris Johnson has insisted the charismatic former PM is not coming up on the doorstep.
Steve Tuckwell, a local councillor who is running on the Conservative ticket for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election on July 20, said voters are more concerned about the expansion of London’s ultra low emission zone (ULEZ).
Mr Johnson dramatically quit as an MP last month after a report by the Privileges Committee – which he branded a “kangaroo court” – found he lied to Parliament over partygate.
In an interview at the Uxbridge Conservative Club, Mr Tuckwell told the Express: “We’ve had that chapter in this constituency, we’ve turned the page and we’re now moving on to the new chapter. But he hasn’t come up.
“He’s no longer the headline in this by-election, the headline in this by-election is it is a referendum on ULEZ.”
Mr Tuckwell said opposition to Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion is coming up on “every single doorstep”.
The zone, which sees drivers pay a £12.50 daily fee if their vehicles do not meet required emissions standards in a bid to improve air quality – is due to be extended to cover outer London from August 29.
He said: “I’ve been an elected official for five years now and I’ve never come across such a unified groundswell of noise.
“The imposition of ULEZ is going to devastate small businesses, it’s going to cost families £4,500 a year.”
He added that a Tory victory in the by-election would send “shockwaves” to City Hall and put the London Mayor under “immense pressure”.
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Mr Tuckwell said: “It will be the strongest possible message. This by-election is a referendum on ULEZ.
“Sadiq Khan hasn’t listened to people in the consultation. It’s not going to improve air quality, which we all want. It’s just going to hammer this community, hammer families and hammer small businesses.”
Mr Tuckwell has put local issues at the heart of his campaign including rebuilding Hillingdon Hospital and reopen the police station.
But he admitted victory in the London constituency – which Mr Johnson won with a majority of 7,210 in 2019 – will be “tough” given the dire national polling for the Conservatives.
He said: “My focus is completely on the issues this seat faces – ULEZ, the police station and the hospital.
“I don’t underestimate how hard it is when you paint it with the polls, it’s tough. But I’m going to work incredibly hard to be there for the people that I’m hoping to represent.”
Mr Tuckwell said Labour are the favourites to win but added that he was feeling “positive but not complacent”.
The father-of-two, who was born and bred in the constituency, describes himself as the “hyperlocal candidate”.
His Labour rival Danny Beale was born in Hillingdon but has been a councillor in Camden for 10 years.
Mr Tuckwell, who began his career as a postman before being elected to Hillingdon Council in 2015, said: “It chimes with people on the doorstep that there’s someone who they recognise, who they know has lived here, understands the complexities here, and people want that for their MP.”
