England cricket hero Monty Panesar called for Ulez to be scrapped as he announced he would be standing as an MP in London for George Galloway’s Workers Party.
The former international cricketer will contest Ealing Southall, where Labour MP Virendra Sharma commands a majority of more than 16,000 votes.
Left-wing firebrand Mr Galloway, who won the Rochdale by-election in February by capitalising on fury over the war in Gaza, announced plans to stand candidates in every UK constituency at the general election later this year.
But Mr Panesar said he was “not an expert on foreign policy” and would leave talking about Israel, Palestine and Nato to Mr Galloway.
“I think my focus is the British people,” he said.
“Let George worry about the foreign policy stuff. I’m not an expert on that. I want to make a difference in this country.
“I want to see a difference in border control. I don’t want to see illegal migration going to deprived areas where the resources then get absolutely saturated.”
Mr Panesar said he wanted to see free school meals in state schools across the UK, not just in London where Sadiq Khan introduced the policy for primary pupils. But the bowler added he was not a fan of the Labour Mayor after the Ultra Low Emission Zone was expanded.
“I want to get rid of Ulez because Ulez actually affects the poorer people, it affects small-sized businesses,” he said.
“I don’t think that is good. And I also want to see a referendum on net zero.
“Is it really sustainable, who are the people who are really profiteering from this? Because I’ll tell you who it affects. It affects the poor people in this country.”
Mr Galloway said his party had 500 candidates in place for the general election, including almost every seat in London.
He confirmed his party would not run a candidate against suspended Labour MP Diane Abbott if she stands as an independent in Hackney North and Stoke Newington, and it will also back Jeremy Corbyn if he runs against the official Labour candidate in Islington North.
Former Labour MP and shadow minister Chris Williamson will stand for the Workers Party in Derby South. Ex-Labour MP for Leicester East Claudia Webbe has also reportedly had discussions about joining the party.
Former Mayor of Hounslow Nisar Malik and ex Labour councillor Amrit Mann are among the candidates selected in the capital.
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Others include former British ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray, who is contesting Blackburn. Mr Murray was jailed for contempt of court over blog posts he made during Alex Salmond’s trial on sexual assault charges.
Announcing the first 200 Workers Party candidates, Mr Galloway branded Labour under Sir Keir Starmer “Tony Blair without the laughs, without the polish, led by an automaton so wooden the birds are nesting in him, and up to his neck in the Gaza slaughter”.
Sir Keir said Mr Galloway’s politics was “characterised by division”.
He said: “I’m interested in serving the country. So I’m not bothered by George at all.”