Gove must get a grip on ‘life and death’ air pollution crisis, says Sadiq Khan

The mayor of London has called an urgent meeting with the new environment secretary to press him to act on Britain’s toxic air quality.

Khan has activated London’s emergency alert system after experts warned toxic air in the capital had risen to dangerous levels. Other areas affected include southern England and Wales.

There has been growing pressure on the government over the air pollution crisis, which causes 40,000 deaths annually in the UK.

Khan challenged Gove to overhaul the government’s air quality plan consultation earlier this year, which he described as a ‘deep disappointment’ and a ‘backwards step’.

Khan said: “Michael Gove has a huge opportunity to change course for this government and finally get a grip on the national air quality health crisis. We know it causes an estimated 40,000 early deaths in this country every single year. This is now a matter of life and death and the government has one last chance to put it right.”