The problem facing London is not the institution of the Mayor or the London Assembly that scrutinises him – it’s the incumbent, Sadiq Khan, says Neil Garratt

Tony Lodge’s recent article in City AM questioning the value of London’s Mayoralty after 25 years provokes an important debate, but reaches the wrong conclusion. The problem facing London is not the institution of the Mayor or the London Assembly that scrutinises him – it’s the incumbent, Sadiq Khan.

Lodge correctly identifies serious issues plaguing our capital: transport woes, rising crime and housing challenges. But these failures aren’t inherent to the mayoral system, they’re the consequence of poor leadership and misplaced priorities.

Take Transport for London. True, it’s become bloated and top-heavy under a Mayor who instinctively sides with striking Tube drivers against Londoners trying to get to work. Witness his disastrous strategy of trying to buy off strikes by handing over large sums of Londoners’ money. Who could possibly have foreseen that they’d just come back for more?

Witness Sadiq Khan’s disastrous strategy of trying to buy off strikes by handing over large sums of Londoners’ money. Who could........

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