If the latest polling is anything to go by, Sadiq Khan is cruising to re-election. With six months to go until the next election, the Mayor leads his Conservative rival, Susan Hall, by 50 per cent to 25 per cent, according to a YouGov survey.
That he is doing so does not necessarily represent an outpouring of thanks for the job Khan has done. The poll also revealed that nearly half of Londoners are dissatisfied with the Mayor’s job performance, leaving him with a net approval rating of minus 16 per cent. Unsurprisingly, older Londoners, those living in outer boroughs and Brexiteers are the unhappiest.
Khan is clearly benefiting from a general unhappiness in the capital with the Tory government. While Labour enjoys a 15 to 20 point lead in the country, this figure jumps to 35 points in London. That is some headwind for Hall to overcome.
The switch to a first-past-the-post voting system injects an element of chaos into the race. Khan no longer has the security of second preferences from Liberal Democrats or Green supporters. But a vote of 50 per cent, or indeed anything like it, would see the Mayor romping home to a third term.
Pedicabs on notice
Beloved by tourists — until, that is, they get a rip-off bill — London’s dodgy pedicab drivers are finally set to be put on notice, with a crackdown on the rickshaws expected to be in tomorrow’s King’s Speech.
Pedicabs may be fun for some but there have been widespread concerns about overcharging, a lack of insurance and loud music played late into the night. This bill would represent a victory not only for locals and visitors alike, but for Nickie Aiken, Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, who has campaigned for the Government to introduce a pedicab licensing scheme.
This legislation would bring pedicabs in line with private hire vehicles, set standards for operators and provide reassurance to passengers of their safety. It is long overdue.
Down the Tube
Have you played the Tube station game? The rules are straightforward but winning is fiendishly difficult. You have to name every Underground, Overground and Elizabeth line station on the map — all 416 of them.
Looking at signs, posters and checking Citymapper is obviously cheating but a clue for those struggling — if you don’t know the answer, it probably ends in “Park”, “Road” or “Street”. “North”, “South”, “East” and “West” are also handy tips.
For those losing hours of their life to it, your ire can be directed at Benjamin Tran Dinh, a software engineer and web developer, who created the game.
