Khan: I’ll bang the drum for London at home and abroad
MAYOR LAUNCHES SECOND-TERM CAMPAIGN WITH VOW TO GET THE CITY’S ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK AFTER PANDEMIC LOSSES
THE London mayor Sadiq Khan launched his re-election campaign last Thursday (4) with promises of a postwar-style recovery programme to rebuild the city’s economy, following the aftereffects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Khan said his “top priority” for his second term will be protecting Londoners’ jobs and helping to create employment opportunities to replace the more than 300,000 lost in the capital city.
He also pledged to continue his focus on tackling crime, building council homes and cleaning up the city’s air.
“We have had a dreadful year, but there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel for Londoners,” Khan said, referring to the ongoing pandemic.
“We owe it to everyone who has lost their lives, to the key workers who have done so much to keep us safe, and to all those who have suffered to ensure we build an even better London after the pandemic.”
Khan recalled the efforts by the Labour party to rebuild Britain “from the ashes of war” in 1945, following the end of the Second World War. He thanked the party for its work, noting that he benefited from their endeavour decades later.
“I grew up on a council estate and was given the opportunities to fulfil my potential and become mayor of the greatest city on earth,” he said.
“That’s why jobs are a top priority for my second term. I want the government to back this ambition with a jobs guarantee, creating opportunities for Londoners, particularly in the key industries of the future.
He added: “I promise to continue standing up for London’s values, relentlessly bang the drum for London – both at home and abroad – to attract jobs and investment, and fight for the national investment we need in the face of the most anti-London government in living memory.”
Khan also criticised the budget delivered by chancellor Rishi Sunak last Wednesday (3), saying that it lacked in “ambition and vision needed to (rebuild the city).”
The mayor called the election on May 6 “a two-horse race” between him and the Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey – although he alleged that the Tory did “not share our values and won’t stand up for the city”.
Last week, he visited Hot Milk, a local business in Bounds Green that has been hit hard by the pandemic. It has been supported by a £5,000 Back to Business grant from City Hall and raised over £12,500 through Khan’s Pay It Forward London initiative. Among his promises are getting central London’s economy back on track with £5 million of investment to attract Londoners and domestic tourists back into the West End and maximising City Hall expenditure to support the capital’s recovery and help create or retain jobs. He also announced plans to transform small business support in London by making it simpler for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to access advice
and support.