Tag: Sadiq

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Mayor Sadiq Khan rules out Ulez changes

Susan Hall, the Conservative mayoral candidate, said: “Promises are worthless from the man who has been dishonest with Londoners about his plans to tax drivers…reports Asian Lite News

Sadiq Khan has pledged not to extend the scope of London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) scheme if he returns to the role after May’s election.

In a letter to the Transport for London commissioner, Andy Lord, the capital’s mayor wrote that he had “categorically” ruled out the introduction of a pay-per-mile scheme as well as any tightening of Ulez emissions standards.

He wrote: “There is clearly still more to do to tackle air pollution, and I’m determined to continue leading from the front in London. But my commitment to Londoners is this will not include a new pay-per-mile road user charging scheme or amending the standards for the Ulez scheme. The introduction and expansion of the Ulez has been necessary and effective. But now it’s in place and working, I will ensure the goalposts are not moved for drivers.”

Khan adds in the letter that he would focus on other measures to tackle air pollution, including improving walking and cycling routes, making buildings more energy efficient and expanding the network of electric vehicle charging stations.

Susan Hall, the Conservative mayoral candidate, said: “Promises are worthless from the man who has been dishonest with Londoners about his plans to tax drivers.

“Sadiq Khan said he wouldn’t expand Ulez at the last election, then went ahead and did the opposite. He has spent £150m building the technology for pay per mile, and now wants us to believe he won’t use it.

“Sadiq Khan is taking Londoners for fools and he just won’t listen. That’s why we need to vote for change on 2 May.”

A spokesperson for the mayor said: “Sadiq has been clear that he has ruled out the introduction of a pay-per-mile road user charging scheme but the Tories are clearly trying to mislead Londoners by repeatedly saying this is not the case.

“The mayor has now put in writing to the TfL commissioner his clear pledge to London: no pay-per-mile scheme will be introduced while he is mayor.”

The Liberal Democrat candidate, Rob Blackie, said: “The Ulez could have been so much more successful if the mayor hadn’t rushed the 2023 extension, giving people in outer London just a few months to adapt.

“If we’re going to crack climate change we need to bring people with us. It’s crucial that the mayor focuses on fixing the problems that still persist, especially for tradespeople who need vans for work.” The Green party has been approached for comment.

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Sadiq promises 40,000 new London council homes  

The target is double that Khan set himself between 2018 and 2024 and which was achieved last year, when it was confirmed that work had started on 23,000 homes…reports Asian Lite News

Sadiq Khan launched his campaign for a record third term as mayor of London by promising the “greatest council homebuilding drive in a generation” and defending his ultra-low emission zone for London.

Appearing at an event in London on Monday, alongside the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, with whom the mayor has had public policy clashes in recent months, Khan promised to complete 40,000 new homes by 2030.

The target is double that Khan set himself between 2018 and 2024 and which was achieved last year, when it was confirmed that work had started on 23,000 homes.

He also defended his controversial his ultra-low emission zone for London under which motorists must pay £12.50 a day to drive a non-compliant car.

“When we first planned to bring it in in central London, there were people who were hostile and anti”, Khan said. “It came in and the sky didn’t collapse. We then expanded it to inner London, lots of complaints and concerns and by the way the Tories have been consistent in opposing it at all levels, the sky didn’t fall in.

“We then expanded it to outer London and here’s the great news – 19 out of 20 cars seen travelling on an average day are compliant… they don’t pay a penny more.”

The housing focus of Khan’s campaign is an acknowledgment of the scale of the problem in the capital, with more than 300,000 households on the waiting list for social housing. Rough sleeping has increased by 50% in the last decade.

Should Khan be re-elected on 2 May, he would be the first person to achieve three terms as mayor since the directly elected position was created in 2000.

Khan claimed that upcoming mayoral contest would be the “closest ever”, although his Conservative rival Susan Hall, a London assembly member, has struggled to build a profile.

According to the Sunday Times, friends of Corbyn, who lost the Labour whip three years ago over his response to an Equality and Human Rights Commission report, recently asked a printing company about the cost of producing election leaflets for him in the constituency of North Islington.

Speaking alongside the London mayor, Starmer said the choice facing the electorate was between “chaos and division with the Tories, or unity and hope with Labour”.

Starmer clashed with Khan last October when the London mayor called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as the Labour leader was demanding a “humanitarian pause” to allow in aid.

The Labour leader had also criticised Khan over his ultra-low emission zone for London, suggesting it would have a disproportionate impact on people “in the middle of the cost of living crisis”.

Despite the past disputes, Starmer claimed that “from more police on the streets, being on the side of Londoners in the cost of living crisis and delivering the most council houses since the 1970s, Sadiq’s achievements as mayor of London over the last eight years have transformed our communities.”

“This is the difference Labour makes when in power,” he said.

Khan, in turn, suggested that it would be in London’s interest for City Hall and Downing Street to be run by Labour, presenting a “once in a generation opportunity to make real inroads into solving London’s housing crisis”.

He claimed he could have gone “much further, much faster” without a Tory government “holding us back”. He said: “We saw it when the last home secretary claimed homelessness is, quote, a lifestyle choice. We saw it last week when the latest housing minister said housing is never really the problem.

“And I’m under no illusion about the scale. The challenge has been decades in the making, but with political will, it can be overcome.”

Meanwhile, a combination of new migration and the return of people who left London during the Covid-19 pandemic has boosted the UK capital’s population, which is “now likely to be well above” its pre-pandemic high of 10.1 million people, a report from Centre for Cities shows.

The think tank notes that London’s population fell during the pandemic, but “bounced back strongly after pandemic restrictions ended and is now almost certainly higher than it has ever been”.

“The population dip during Covid was considerably smaller than the figures in the hundreds of thousands that some predicted,” said Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities.

“The big challenges associated with London remain. London’s infrastructure is creaking under the weight of its population.

“Policymakers have to shake off any assumption that population changes mean questions over the housing shortage and infrastructure will solve themselves. Nor will smaller, less affluent places see huge influxes of professional workers with greater spending power.”

Figures for 2023 have not been calculated yet, but Centre for Cities predicts that with the influx of people in 2022, London’s population has passed its pre-pandemic peak of more than 10.1 million.

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Sadiq unveils new plan to tackle violence against women

It will target the behaviour of those who perpetrate abuse and make sure they are the focus for change…reports Asian Lite News

A new plan that champions a public health approach to ending violence against women and girls has been unveiled by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan on a visit to Waltham Forest.

While there the Mayor met a beautician and visited a dry cleaners and library to see first-hand the training and education being delivered to men about VAWG to help them become more active allies.

Cafes, libraries, dry cleaners, pubs, beauticians, gyms and other everyday venues across London are being encouraged to be part of the Mayor’s ‘whole society’ approach to tackling violence against women and girls.

The holistic approach will see close to £18m of additional investment from City Hall on specialist services to improve support for victims and survivors, tackle the behaviour of perpetrators and better educate the public on the help they can provide.

The investment in support services includes a specialised response to support all victims to have equal access to justice and services.

The Mayor’s newly refreshed strategy recognises that more robust policing or the threat of the criminal justice system alone cannot prevent violence against women and girls. 

Sadiq’s new strategy will adopt a public health approach to preventing and reducing violence against women and girls. It will place a stronger emphasis on partnership working, prevention and education across a wide range of services in London.

It will target the behaviour of those who perpetrate abuse and make sure they are the focus for change.

“The epidemic of violence is a crisis which should shame us all which is why I’m uniting with partners across London to not only provide support to women and girls but to help educate and inform all Londoners, especially men, about the danger posed by misogynistic attitudes and behaviours,” Sadiq Khan said.

“As well as record investment in services for victims and survivors, I am also funding initiatives which address the behaviour of those at risk of offending or reoffending to help prevent them turning to violence,” he added.

As part of the new plan, local authorities, the NHS, night-time venues, high street shops, Transport for London and the transport industry, universities, the police and the criminal justice system will work more closely with support services tackling VAWG to spot the signs and intervene earlier as part of the Mayor’s whole society approach to effectively tackling violence against women and girls.

High street venues across London, including dry cleaners, beauticians and cafes are being urged to sign up to become information points so that victims of violence or those at risk can be directed to support services safely, quickly and discreetly.

Civic settings such as libraries are also being encouraged to become disclosure settings where women and girls can seek specialist help. City Hall will also convene a round table discussion next month with partners to determine how the NHS and wider health sector can better tackle VAWG collectively in the capital.

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Mayors Support Net Zero

Metro Mayors and leaders from across the UK tell Government they are ready to lead country to net zero carbon…reports Asian Lite News

London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham have joined other metro mayors and leaders from across the UK to ask for greater powers and funding so they can lead the country to net zero carbon in a way that’s fair for everyone.

At the Decarbonisation Summit event at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, eight English metro mayors and the leader of Glasgow City Council, said they will support the campaign to meet net zero.

They said that they are ready to lead the country to net zero carbon, but need to be backed by Government with new powers and more resources.

“We have each developed detailed plans for our regions to accelerate the drive to net zero carbon – in most areas by at least a decade ahead of the Government’s 2050 national target,” they said. “We know that we can play a crucial role in getting the whole of the UK to net zero carbon, creating a ripple across the country. By freeing the city regions up, we will be able to establish the skill base, new technologies and experience to lay the path for the rest of UK to succeed.  This is much more than getting to net zero carbon, however. What we’re setting out to achieve is a greener future, but also a fairer one.

“We all have plans to do this. For instance, as we work to decarbonise, many of us will also look to reduce fares for public transport or keep them affordable – with a joint commitment to ensure they remain as low as possible. We are all developing plans to decarbonise homes through a retrofitting programme – which can also help to reduce people’s energy bills and create good jobs.

“We are ready to grasp the opportunities that the transition to zero carbon offers to our economies, but we need more regional powers to develop and maintain the skills we need to fill the jobs we create. We will share best practice and research with each other and together explore opportunities around innovation, joining our regions up to create a country-wide impact. However, we need the Government to work with us on this.

“We are asking for greater regional powers over issues like skills and a funding package that matches our ambitions so we can drive the whole country to net zero carbon. This is a golden opportunity for the Government to work with us to decarbonise the country and level it up at the same time.

Besides Mr Burnham and Mr Khan, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson; Myor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram; Mayor of North of Tyne, Jamie Driscoll; Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard; Mayor of West of England, Dan Norris; Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin; Leader of Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken were present.

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Sadiq seeks rent freeze

Mayor Sadiq Khan calls for rent freeze to combat cost of living crisis. The Mayor’s call comes ahead of the £693 hike in the energy price cap on 1st April…reports Asian Lite News

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is calling on Government to give him the powers to freeze private rents in the capital for two years and help to save £3,000 in rent for thousands of Londoners struggling to cope with the rocketing cost of living.

New City Hall analysis, based on estate agent Savills forecasts, shows that freezing private rents for two years would save Londoners on average a total of £2,988 across both years, with £881 in the first year and £2107.60 in the second year.

Research from City Hall and YouGov previously estimated that a quarter of London’s 2.4 million privately renting adults had fallen behind on their rent, or said they were likely to do so, as a direct result of the pandemic. More than a third of private renters polled said they thought the pandemic was having a ‘large impact’ on their personal finances, with half a million Londoners now potentially facing eviction.

Ofgem has already announced an average rise of £693 fuel bills for 1st April by raising the energy price cap, with further steep rises expected due to spiralling global gas prices. The most recent Bank of England Monetary Policy Report has forecast that inflation will rise still further to over seven per cent. With no further support to help renters stay in their homes, thousands of low-paid Londoners being impacted by reduced incomes and higher bills will simply accrue more and more debt, with no means of paying it off.

The Mayor has consistently been on the side of London’s private renters, successfully campaigning for the Government to end unjust letting fees, suspend evictions during the pandemic and put in a package of grants to help keep renters in their homes. He has also secured a commitment that Ministers will end ‘no-fault’ evictions for good and it is essential that Government prioritise making good on this.

  “Private renters make up nearly a third of everyone living in the capital and they are set to be hit by a devastating combination of price and bill rises,” said the mayor. “Too often the needs of private renters are ignored by both landlords and the Government.

“Rising fuel and energy costs – which will hit renters in energy inefficient homes the hardest – are already causing anxiety and stress, with a big rise in the energy price cap due next month. That’s why today I’m calling on ministers to give me the powers to stop rents rising in the capital, and help me to give people a chance to get back on their feet after the pandemic.”

Alicia Kennedy, Director of Generation Rent, said: “With the cost of living spiralling out of control, the Mayor is right that renters need more protections from unaffordable rent hikes. It’s too easy for landlords to raise rent on tenants and it’s too difficult for renters to negotiate, or challenge a rent increase at a tribunal. Without intervention landlords can effectively evict their tenants by making their home too expensive for them to afford. The mayor needs powers to intervene for London’s millions of renters.”

Last month, the Mayor provided £200,000 to extend Debt Free London’s debt helpline as surging food, energy and fuel costs put more pressure on Londoners.

Recent polling showed that 34 per cent of Londoners have struggled to pay their household bills in the last six months, with 13 per cent struggling to make ends meet, going without essentials or relying on credit.

The Mayor’s Warmer Homes Programme will draw on £40.2 million of Government funding and £11.1 million from City Hall and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to provide grants for up to 3,200 homes in London to upgrade heating, insulation and ventilation. Low-income homeowners and Londoners who rent privately will be eligible to claim grants of up to £20,000 from this month (March 2022) to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, cutting the cost of bills and reducing the impact on the environment. There is a real need to expand such schemes to help households cut carbon and bills by improving energy efficiency of their homes. 

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Sadiq launches new ‘London Refugee Response’ fund

Sadiq welcomed the government’s pledge to resettle up to 20,000 Afghan refugees and called on Ministers to provide refugees with indefinite leave to remain and a package of funding to help councils, reports Asian Lite News

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that City Hall is working through The London Community Foundation to provide a way for more people to donate funds to help refugees. The new London Refugee Response will be used to enable refugees to build a new life in London, including through support in finding jobs and learning English.

Sadiq paid tribute to the incredible generosity of Londoners helping refugees arriving from Afghanistan as he announced a new fund to help those wanting to donate. 

He made the announcement as he visited the Lewisham Donation Hub, in Ladywell, to thank the volunteers, a number who are refugees, and hear from those that have been directly impacted by events in Afghanistan.

The donation hub has been collecting a wide range of donations – from electrical items to nappies – to send to refugees in hotels across the city. 

In a further show of solidarity, Piccadilly Lights and the TFL network will today carry the message ‘Refugees Welcome’ in English, Dari and Pashto. London has a proud history of providing refuge to those seeking sanctuary and the images will reiterate that our city is open and welcoming.

Last month the Mayor made clear that the capital stood ready to help the Afghan refugees and set out plans to help councils and housing associations secure funding to provide homes.

Sadiq welcomed the Government’s pledge to resettle up to 20,000 Afghan refugees and called on Ministers to provide refugees with indefinite leave to remain and a package of funding to help councils – commitments which have since been made.

However, Sadiq continues to urge Ministers to provide councils with sufficient long-term support – including through dedicated provision in healthcare, education and social integration – to ensure refugees can establish a long-term future in the city.

“I’m immensely proud that our city has once again demonstrated that we are welcoming and open to all,” the Mayor said. “The response from Londoners has been incredible and I’d like to thank everyone who has offered donations to help Afghan refugees and all the volunteers who are giving their time to help.”

 “I’m also deeply humbled by the courage and resilience of all those who have arrived in our city in the most difficult of circumstances. Our charities, voluntary organisations and councils are doing all they can to help them settle into our city, and showing that we will always provide refuge to those seeking sanctuary, and I’m delighted to today launch the new London Refugee Response to help even more Londoners donate,” he added. 

Sadiq said he wants to work with government to ensure boroughs and community organisations have all the support they need to help resettle Afghan families and help them to establish a long-term future in the city.

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Sadiq hails ‘phenomenal’ mass vax drive

“From football stadiums to shopping centres, churches to community pharmacies, this weekend saw a phenomenal effort to get tens of thousands of Londoners vaccinated,” Khan said…reports Asian Lite News.

Tens of thousands of over-18s Londoners received a first or second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine over the weekend as the capital makes the “final push” towards ending lockdown, media reported.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has hailed the “phenomenal effort” and has urged every adult in London to get vaccinated “as soon as possible”.

“From football stadiums to shopping centres, churches to community pharmacies, this weekend saw a phenomenal effort to get tens of thousands of Londoners vaccinated,” Khan said.

“With over 260 vaccine centres open across the capital, including five football stadiums – the NHS, local authorities and volunteers have led one of the biggest vaccine rollouts over one weekend our city has ever seen. Seeing their efficiency, passion and professionalism firsthand was inspiring.”

He said the vaccine is a gamechanger in the fight against the virus, and “we are now in the final push.”

“I can’t emphasise enough how crucial it is for all Londoners over 18 to go out and get vaccinated as soon as possible, and for everyone to ensure they have their second dose. You do not need to be registered with a GP or know your NHS number to get vaccinated. Vaccination is the best route for us to protect our loved ones and to continue opening up our city safely, so that we can return to doing more of the things we love,” he added.

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Sadiq urges govt to extend support for businesses

Mayor Khan, said, it was deeply disappointing that the Prime Minister this week announced an extension of COVID restrictions without a single mention of extending the vital financial support that our businesses need..reports Asian Lite News.

On a visit to businesses on London’s Piccadilly the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has warned of the ‘calamitous’ impact of ministers continuing with the plans to reduce financial support for businesses at the end of June despite the continuation of COVID restrictions announced this week. 

Mayor Khan, said, it was deeply disappointing that the Prime Minister this week announced an extension of COVID restrictions without a single mention of extending the vital financial support that our businesses need.

“With so many venues in retail, culture and hospitality already on a financial knife edge the reduction in financial support at the end of this month could now be a calamitous blow to their chances of survival,” he said.

“Our world-class theatres, cultural venues, bars, shops and restaurants desperately want to welcome back Londoners and tourists safely from across the UK. And we continue to showcase what all our amazing venues have to offer through our #LetsDoLondon campaign.”

 But he said “until restrictions are fully lifted, whacking our venues with a large business rates bill and other costs from next month will simply hamper the capital’s chances of recovery.”

He said that Central London remains the engine of the UK’s economy.  “But there simply won’t be a national economic recovery from COVID if ministers take the survival of London’s unique eco-system of shops, hospitality and world-leading cultural venues for granted,” he added.

According to UK Hospitality, the further delay in the roadmap will cost the hospitality sector £3bn in lost sales across the UK, and put 300,000 jobs in the sector at risk. Strikingly their latest figures show that around a quarter of hospitality venues still remain shut.* Nearly one in five of the UK’s hospitality jobs are based in London – over 10 per cent of London’s employment. In the capital hospitality venues has already seen an average decline in sales of £1.3m since the start of 2020.

Mayor has visited a number of businesses around London’s Piccadilly. Alongside Kate Nicholls (Chief Executive of UK Hospitality), and Ros Morgan (Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance) he is urging the Government to continue with its full package of financial support for businesses beyond the end of June – until the final lifting of restrictions.

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Sadiq launches ‘London Eats’ campaign

London Eats campaign was launched with an aim to attract domestic tourists back into the capital to enjoy all the culinary delights it has to offer, reports Asian Lite News

London Mayor’s year-long Let’s Do London campaign to bring people back to the capital kicked off its focus on the city’s diverse food and drink offering on Monday with London Eats.

“London Eats celebrates the very best culinary delights central London has to offer. From cheap street food eats to fine dining, food markets to drinks festivals, exclusive interviews, food trails, surprise announcements on the Tube and the unveiling of new restaurant and street food market openings – there is something for everyone,” Mayor’s Press Office said in a statement.

As Covid restrictions ease, and as more restaurants open up, the Mayor Sadiq Khan joined by celebrity chefs and successful restaurateurs, Monica Galetti and Angela Hartnett MBE at Geoff Leong’s Chinatown restaurant Dumplings’ Legend, launched this food-focused part of his Let’s Do London campaign to promote central London and protect jobs in the capital.

Mayor Khan said he was “proud to be launching London Eats as part of my Let’s Do London campaign – the biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen.”

“The hospitality sector has been one of the hardest hit by the impact of the pandemic with too many jobs lost and under threat. As the government continues with a roadmap and more businesses are able to open up, we are joining with famous chefs, foodies and hospitality venues to celebrate our city’s world-renowned industry. Together we will be sharing our favourite places to eat and drink in London and highlighting the huge range of exciting events and openings that will be taking place this summer.

“There is no doubt that our capital has the greatest food and drink offer in the world, and I’m proud to be getting the message out to Londoners and people across the country that the capital is ready and waiting to welcome you SAFELY once again,” he added.

London Eats sees the coming together of some of London’s most famous chefs, hospitality venues and foodies to share their hidden gems, foodie trails and the must-try bars and restaurants they’re excited to get back to as London comes alive again over the summer.

The series of insider tips features Indian-born British chef Asma Khan, French maître d’hôtel and star of Channel 4’s First Dates Fred Sirieix and Masterchef judge Monica Galetti as they highlight the huge variety of food on offer in the capital.

A collection of passionate Londoners including an NHS worker and a city busker, alongside famous faces such as singer Jessie Ware, King of The Jungle and football legend Harry Redknapp, star of Drag Race UK Bimini Bon Boulash and restaurateur and Masterchef judge Monica Galetti, are sharing their favourite food hotspots with surprise tannoy announcements across central London’s Tube network – heard at stations including London Bridge, Covent Garden, Westminster and Euston. 

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