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After four years of excuses and blame, and another year of failure on the way, Londoners will be asking themselves: what is the point of Sadiq Khan? #Thread 1/11 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/05/22/no-power-no-money-no-ability-change-anything-point-sadiq-khan/
Khan has faced a crisis in each of his three areas of responsibility: a violent crime emergency, the ongoing housing shortage, and now the collapse of TfL's finances.
And in each crisis, he has offered an appalling response which has deepened the challenges facing London. 2/11
And in each crisis, he has offered an appalling response which has deepened the challenges facing London. 2/11
Until coronavirus, which has temporarily reduced some crimes in London, Khan bungled City Hall's efforts to keep London safe for four years.
As crime rose, he cut stop and search. As police officer numbers dwindled, he wasted millions of pounds on fripperies. 3/11
As crime rose, he cut stop and search. As police officer numbers dwindled, he wasted millions of pounds on fripperies. 3/11
On Khan's watch, murder rose to an 11-year high, and knife crime reached a record high.
Instead of keeping Londoners safe, the Mayor chose to:
Increase City Hall's staffing costs by 82%
Waste a record £44m on TfL perks
Nearly double his culture budget
4/11
Instead of keeping Londoners safe, the Mayor chose to:
Increase City Hall's staffing costs by 82% Waste a record £44m on TfL perks Nearly double his culture budget 4/11
To solve London's housing shortage, the Mayor was given an unprecedented £4.82bn government grant to start building 116,000 affordable homes by April 2022.
After four years, Khan hasn't even started half of these homes, and it's unlikely he will meet the target. 5/11
After four years, Khan hasn't even started half of these homes, and it's unlikely he will meet the target. 5/11
He failed to build 10,000 homes on Transport for London land by 2020.
He abandoned his pledge to ensure housing associations build 80,000 homes a year.
And he scrapped City Hall's target for family-sized homes despite 360,000 children living in overcrowded conditions. 6/11
He abandoned his pledge to ensure housing associations build 80,000 homes a year.
And he scrapped City Hall's target for family-sized homes despite 360,000 children living in overcrowded conditions. 6/11
And that brings us to Khan's latest crisis which he helped author - the collapse of TfL's finances and City Hall's appalling handling of the coronavirus crisis.
In the past four years, the Mayor has pursued transport policies which he knew TfL could not afford. 7/11
In the past four years, the Mayor has pursued transport policies which he knew TfL could not afford. 7/11
His partial fares freeze, which benefited tourists while Londoners saw the cost of their travelcards rise, cost our city at least £640m.
The delay to Crossrail, which was on time and budget when Khan inherited it, has cost an extra £3.65bn and £1.35bn in lost revenue. 8/11
The delay to Crossrail, which was on time and budget when Khan inherited it, has cost an extra £3.65bn and £1.35bn in lost revenue. 8/11
Even if Transport for London were in tip-top condition, it would have required a bailout to survive the coronavirus outbreak.
However, it went into this unprecedented crisis in a mess and has come out worse as a result. 9/11
However, it went into this unprecedented crisis in a mess and has come out worse as a result. 9/11
Now Sadiq Khan is attempting to use the bailout to hide the cost of his appalling decisions - including blaming the deal for his partial fares freeze ending (which he had already announced) and his decision to hike up and extend the Congestion Charge. 10/11
Londoners are right to ask themselves what the point of Sadiq Khan is - he only offers our city blame and excuses.
He has squandered a golden opportunity to deliver for the capital which any other London politician would have bitten your arm off to have. 11/11
He has squandered a golden opportunity to deliver for the capital which any other London politician would have bitten your arm off to have. 11/11
