Sadiq Khan is preparing new laws to ban log burners across London, using zero-emission zones to enforce area-specific restrictions as part of a wider "clean air" clampdown. The move would force homeowners who have installed wood stoves, often costing between £2,000 and £4,000, to remove them, and forms part of a broader package of proposals that also targets domestic bonfires. The plan matters because it could set a precedent for how far mayors can go in regulating household choices in the name of public health, and has already drawn political criticism.

Currently, local authorities can only restrict the burning of certain fuels, such as wet wood, in smoke control areas, meaning owners of modern, efficient wood burners can still legally use dry logs. Khan is asking central government to devolve greater powers to him and other local leaders, arguing existing rules limit his ability to cut emissions and that even small rises in solid-fuel burning cause disproportionate harm to health. Conservative rival Sir James Cleverly, who is eyeing the 2028 mayoral nomination, accused Khan of "policing… homes and gardens" rather than prioritising crime and development. The row echoes earlier controversy over Khan's ULEZ expansion, which critics say has failed to bring air quality within legal limits in more than half of London's boroughs despite official claims of success.