Welcome to Labour’s Britain, where failure is lauded and incompetence rewarded. According to reports in the Financial Times, it appears that Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, has ended up on the draft list for the New Years honours. Also thought to be receiving a gong is Labour lefty Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs committee while rumours abound that Sir Keir’s former chief of staff Sue Gray – who was demoted from the top job just months into Starmer’s premiership – may have also made the cut. Quite the motley crew, eh?
Mr S is rather perplexed about reports that the London mayor may be set to receive a knighthood – not least because of his rather disastrous reign over the city. Steerpike would remind readers that far from improving life in the capital, the Labour mayor has presided over its demise. Take knife crime in the city, for example. Figures from early 2024 indicated that incidents in London rose at the one of the fastest rates in five years, while muggings at knife-point surged by a third. Or transport: strikes, delays and cancellations have all plagued London’s transport system over the last few years and yet, instead of taking greater steps to address real commuter problems, Khan opted to, er, rename some Overground lines. Great stuff.
Under Khan, London’s ultra-low emission zone was expanded to an area 18 times larger than what it had been previously – affecting five million more Londoners who were forced to drive compliant cars or face fines. Inspired by his own commitment to tackling climate change, the mayor went on to publish a polemic titled: ‘Breathe: Seven Ways to Win a Greener World.’ Perhaps the politician would have better luck boosting his popularity if he focused on the day job rather than vanity projects, eh? Not that Khan’s staff have any real incentive to perform better, either. As Mr S revealed this year, the number of City Hall fat cats on top rates of pay in 2024 has more than doubled since 2016 – all while the city continues to crumble.
That’s before addressing the contribution of Khan’s ex-night czar. From bars that announce last orders before 10pm to deserted restaurants in the centre of town, under Khan ‘London is the city that likes to go to bed early with a cup of Horlicks’, as one Times Radio presenter concluded. Rather bafflingly, the London mayor thought paying Amy Lamé a six-figure sum to preside over this demise – despite reports that 25 per cent of the capital’s nightclubs have closed in recent years – was ‘good value’ for money. Thankfully, the woman who inspired the #LameLondon hashtag finally gained some self awareness and stepped away from the job in October this year. Not a second too soon…
The Financial Times also noted that the draft list has not yet been signed off by either Starmer or King Charles. There may be time yet to make some last minute edits…
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