Nobody said they haven’t.
However, this particular analysis was about manipulating the anti-ULEZ campaign in Social Media.
Nobody is claiming that the genuine anti-ULEZ campaigners were behind this underhand manipulation or that they were even aware of it - the analysts specifically point out they may not be aware that other forces behind the scenes were using the genuine members for their own political or commercial agenda.
They have not pointed any fingers about who was behind it - who knows, it may well have been “the establishment” who was behind this particular manipulation - it certainly benefited the Tory Party in Uxbridge by-election.
Oh dear, where do I start…
Does it really matter who or which government started this idea Lincs…
And I dispute the fact that air pollution from vehicles has been proven to have massively damaged peoples health. Yes I know that you will scour the internet for statistics about deaths and illness from air pollution to progress your point, would this be the same internet that several of you have just slated for producing mis information?
But their are a number of reasons for air pollution, and vehicles are just one of them.
How many planes fly in and out of London each day? How many trains? How many heavy goods vehicles pass very close to London from all corners of the world?
People have to go to work to support their families, transport around cities is a necessary evil, but charging people to drive into cities is not the way forward. Alternative methods of transport should be provided before the rug is pulled out from the common folk and small businessman who has to rely on his vehicle to do his job, otherwise he will pass on the cost of ULEZ to the customer. There are no winners…
So oil companies are dead against ULEZ and have mounted a campaign to flood social media with mis information…Aren’t you wandering close to the world of conspiracy theories with that comment Lincs…
So where do people complain about their lot Lincs? Not on the BBC or other MSM sites because they are not allowed to comment on such matters, and these things are brushed under the carpet. That just leaves Social Media that can be poked fun at and accused of mis information…Whatever happened to free speech? Even GB News are closely censored by OFCOM and if anyone steps out of line they are mysteriously removed and never heard of again.
A child died a few years ago, remember? The stats on respiratory health are all available to read. Certainly there are more sources of air pollution than cars but the very low height of emission and very much outside your house emission make cars, vans and lorries the most serious contributors. Certainly all polluting machines should be addressed but are you seriously suggesting we only tackle the worst offenders after everything else is addressed?
But I do agree that the support for people on low and modest incomes should be more. As you state - better public transport or financial support for changing their old car. Same for businesses. But are you aware that the government cut its support for London in this ULEZ extension. The tories have been planning this use of ULEZ against Labour for a while.
Lastly, you can read up on how oil companies have been using PR companies to promote their anti-climate change agenda for years. Here is just one article on that: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/09/politics/big-oil-disinformation-record-profits-climate/index.html
This is fact rather than a conspiracy theory. Just google “oil company disinformation climate change” and you’ll find dozens of articles. And they rely on social media because it is so easy to manipulate.
And just a note that Khan re-won his mayor position. Comfortably. So the bruhaha around ULEZ back in the Uxbridge by-election can now been seen as faked and not widely supported. Otherwise the London voters would have rejected Khan. I rest my case!
