Labour’s candidate for London’s mayoralty discusses his plans for the capital
THE two incumbents of London’s mayoralty, created in 2000, have each been vibrant and independent-minded people. Ken Livingstone was so removed from New Labour’s mainstream that he initially stood as an impartial. And Boris Johnson is as quotable as he’s reliably off-message (the most recent instance being his footsie with the Out marketing campaign within the EU referendum). Sadiq Khan, the Labour frontrunner to succeed Mr Johnson, is in lots of respects a extra typical politician: a lawyer and former transport minister who attended Gordon Brown’s cupboard and ran Ed Miliband’s management marketing campaign in 2010.
However that doesn’t make him uninteresting. In my column this week I choose over his paradoxes, concluding that though his coverage proposals are combined, his vitality and pragmatism are promising. Furthermore, the insinuation—closely pushed by Zac Goldsmith, his Conservative rival—that he’s within the pocket of Jeremy Corbyn, Labour’s hard-left chief, is clearly unfair. Beneath is the total transcript of our interview.
NB: The interview has been calmly edited for readability.
BAGEHOT: If somebody is weighing up voting for Zac Goldsmith otherwise you, what ought to tip the steadiness in your favour?
SADIQ KHAN: London is the best metropolis on the planet, however we’re at a crossroads. Londoners have been priced out altogether and the following era is lacking out on the alternatives that this metropolis gave my household. The Khan story is a London story. My grandparents left India to go to Pakistan. My mother and father left Pakistan to come back to London. I will probably be within the first era of Khans to not be an immigrant. London gave me and my household an opportunity to fulfil our potential: I went from a council property to serving to operating a enterprise to a transport minister attending cupboard and now operating to be mayor of London. My mother and father had a safe and inexpensive council dwelling which meant they may afford to pay rents and will resolve to save lots of for a deposit to purchase their very own dwelling. They despatched their kids to good native state faculties the place the academics pushed us laborious. All of us who needed to go to school went to school and the one—my brother—who didn’t wish to go to school did an excellent apprenticeship and is now a motor mechanic (arguably he’s probably the most profitable within the household!) I went on to turn into a lawyer, helped run a enterprise and have become MP for the realm.
However too many Londoners don’t have the probabilities London gave me, and that’s why this election is extremely necessary. And except Londoners—in my humble opinion—select the candidate who’s acquired the imaginative and prescient, the values and the expertise to assist all Londoners fulfil their potential, I believe it’s going to be too late.
BAGEHOT: What about somebody pondering: “The Conservatives are in energy till not less than 2020. Perhaps higher to go along with a Tory candidate who can take care of the federal government on behalf of London, who’s acquired these contacts.” What do you say to that?
SADIQ KHAN: What Londoners are electing will not be an envoy for the federal government. They’re electing somebody who’s going to be London’s champion, London’s advocate. I used to be a minister within the final Labour authorities who would repeatedly work with mayor Boris Johnson. I used to be the minister that took by way of the Enterprise Charge Complement Act, the act that implies that companies in London are contributing £4 billion to Crossrail 1. I’ve proven each in my time as a minister working with a mayor from one other occasion, in my twelve years as a councillor in Wandsworth and in the truth that I’ve have managed to unite individuals within the Labour Social gathering and likewise swathes of entrepreneurs and profitable enterprise individuals to help my marketing campaign that I’m any individual who unites individuals. What London won’t ever elect is any individual who’s the patsy of the prime minister or the chancellor. Ken Livingstone was by no means within the pocket of Tony Blair.
BAGEHOT: You’ll be able to say that once more.
SADIQ KHAN: And Boris Johnson was by no means within the pocket of David Cameron. What all the nice cities world wide from New York to Chicago, from Paris to Austin, from Berlin to Delhi have all the time finished is chosen a champion for his or her metropolis. And the bar must be: who has the values? Who has the imaginative and prescient? Who has the expertise to be the most effective mayor that London might presumably have? So examine my CV with Zac Goldsmith’s.
BAGEHOT: You point out different world cities. Is there another metropolis authorities that you simply take inspiration from? They are saying we’re in an age of mayors. The place do you look to?
SADIQ KHAN: I believe it was a former mayor of Detroit who stated that if the nineteenth century was the century of empires and the 20th century was the century of nation states, that the twenty-first century is the century of cities. I passionately imagine that. The mayor of New York, Invoice de Blasio, has arrange a “tech expertise pipeline” to work with the tech sector there to coach up at present’s New Yorkers to have the abilities for the roles of tomorrow. I’m going to arrange “Abilities for Londoners”, working with companies to assist prepare up the following era of Londoners to have the abilities for these jobs, whether or not they’re in finance, tech, low-carbon, manufacturing, tradition or the humanities.
Have a look at Chicago. Rahm Emanuel has arrange an infrastructure financial institution, recognising which you can’t all the time go cap-in-hand to ask the federal government. The earlier mayor [of Los Angeles] needed to inexperienced LA and develop the port, however Barack Obama couldn’t get it by way of Congress or the Senate to be able to give him funding. He jumped on the aircraft and went to China to get the funding. Have a look at Annise Parker in Houston, the place there’s clearly a pro-oil, pro-fossil gas economic system. She’s been one of many greenest mayors they’ve had. Have a look at Anne Hidalgo. Raised in social housing in Paris, a passionate advocate for social housing. In Berlin they’ve managed to maintain rents down. In Paris they’ve helped individuals to cycle.
I’ve met with a few of the finest mayors world wide, whether or not it’s Mike Bloomberg or Invoice de Blasio, to see whether or not we are able to replicate concepts from different cities. If there’s a good suggestion I’ll replicate it; I’m not treasured if it’s a Labour concept, a British concept, or not. I’ve simply come again from a spherical desk at Bloomberg with a few of the main companies in London (multinationals, tech, tradition and humanities, transport, manufacturing); listening to what they suppose and discussing how we are able to make the town even higher.
BAGEHOT: You point out a lot of world cities, however London has a comparatively weak mayoralty. Even Manchester is getting management over its well being service. Would you search to develop the position if you happen to gained in Might?
SADIQ KHAN: Completely, sure. While you take a look at the cash the mayor spends in contrast with the cash raised in London. It’s roughly talking 7%. In New York it’s 50%. In Tokyo it’s 70%. We have to devolve way more energy to London. So I welcome the truth that David Cameron and George Osborne are giving extra energy to Scotland, Wales and Better Manchester. However we now have to remind them that it’s not “mission completed” with London. We’d like way more powers given to the mayor of London and to the boroughs; over abilities and additional schooling, over planning of college locations and requirements in London’s schooling system, over well being in London. Powers, for instance, to borrow and situation bonds and over housing. Have a look at America. You’ve acquired New York, which is the monetary capital. You’ve acquired LA, which is the cultural capital. You’ve acquired Washington, which is the political capital. Nicely London is the monetary, political and cultural capital of the nation. And Londoners have little or no say about the way it it run.
BAGEHOT: Would you want London to realize the well being powers going to Manchester?
SADIQ KHAN: The announcement on Manchester was unbelievable however the authorities will not be but strolling the stroll. In the meanwhile it has introduced 4 pilots in relation to London and well being. Allowing for that London’s inhabitants goes to go from 8.6m now to 9m in 2020 and 10m in 2030, there are some boroughs now the place—for the primary time in current reminiscence—you’ve acquired examples of TB, measles. The place public well being may be very poor. London ought to have way more energy over public well being and heath usually. It doesn’t all, by the best way, must be within the arms of the mayor and Metropolis Corridor. I wish to devolve energy right down to native authorities. For instance, on abilities you’ve a state of affairs the place civil servants are deciding which programs additional schooling faculties must be operating. I believe native authorities know much better what abilities are wanted of their space, relatively than the mayor.
BAGEHOT: You point out the dominant position that London performs in Britain’s civic life. Do you worry that it’s too dominant?
SADIQ KHAN: No. I’m not asking for us to get a much bigger slice of the cake. I’m asking for us to have extra of a say in how our metropolis is run, to make the cake larger. I’ll offer you an instance. If enterprise charges had been devolved to the mayor, lets say to small- and medium-sized companies: we are going to scale back what you are promoting charges if you happen to pay the London Dwelling Wage. That’s a much better method of encouraging employers to pay a London Dwelling Wage than the chancellor imposing a nationwide residing wage. If, for instance, the chancellor had been to announce in his spring finances that he’ll give the inexperienced gentle lastly to Crossrail 2, that might profit different elements of the nation as properly. Crossrail 1, when it opens in 2018 and 2019, will enhance the general public transport capability by 10%. Meaning individuals will have the ability to get to and from work, to the outlets, far faster. If London does higher, the Treasury advantages. Everybody advantages. 4 in 5 vacationers who come to the UK come due to the tradition and humanities scene in London. For those who’ve acquired a mayor on the aspect of tradition and humanities—serving to the Royal Opera Home, the English Nationwide Ballet, the Barbican, the O2, the theatres, the galleries, our music venues—that advantages the entire nation. Excessive Velocity 2 advantages the north in addition to London. I don’t suppose it’s a zero-sum recreation.
BAGEHOT: You’ve stated up to now that the inexperienced belt is “sacred”. However various the inexperienced belt is golf programs and high-intensity farmland. And the proof means that it means Londoners must be crammed ever-more intently collectively inside it. Are you certain it’s the proper method to place the inexperienced belt on a pedestal in that method?
SADIQ KHAN: I’m dedicated to defending the inexperienced belt. New properties could be constructed on brownfield and there’s loads of scope to repair the housing disaster with out constructing on the inexperienced belt. I’ve acquired a plan to try this. I’m going to arrange “Houses for Londoners”: a brand new staff devoted to constructing genuinely inexpensive properties to purchase and lease, bringing ahead vacant land, bringing in further funding and dealing with councils and personal builders. Transport for London owns land equal to 16 Hyde Parks. Why don’t we use a few of that land to construct properties, however maintain the freehold to retain an earnings stream from that land? I’m going to have “first dibs for Londoners”; providing new properties to native individuals first relatively than abroad buyers. I’m going to have a 50% inexpensive properties goal and agency new guidelines to ensure builders construct extra genuinely inexpensive properties. Hong Kong’s transport authority makes more cash from its property portfolio than from fares. Why haven’t we acquired a full-time mayor making certain that TfL does the identical in London?
So my level is: you don’t have to go to the inexperienced belt if you happen to use land already out there in London correctly. I imagine you’ll be able to have good-quality, high-density properties in London. It’s potential to have a look at hidden areas, the place you’ll be able to deliver again land not in use. Individuals who advocate most for constructing on the inexperienced belt are builders. What occurs is, as night time follows day, the value of these items of land will undergo the roof if the mayor says “let’s construct on the inexperienced belt”. They’re essential because the lungs of our metropolis. If I used to be persuaded that each one the potential items of land in London had been getting used sensibly and had been built-upon, constructing on the inexperienced belt could be one thing we might look into. However we’re no-where, no-where, no-where close to there.
BAGEHOT: However are your options on the proper scale to take care of the housing disaster? I’ve seen one report that claims that the common London home worth is on observe to hit £1m by 2030. Are they of the proper order of magnitude?
SADIQ KHAN: In the meanwhile the federal government is taking by way of Parliament a Housing and Planning Invoice that may make issues far, far worse. It’s going to drive native authorities to unload their household council properties, generally to overseas buyers. It’s going to imply that inexpensive social housing will probably be offered off below the extension to right-to-buy. And the federal government’s definition of “inexpensive properties” is properties costing £450,000. Shelter have labored out that to have the ability to afford that you need to be on an annual wage of £77,000 and have a deposit of £98,000. Home constructing goes down whereas rents are going up. In these circumstances, you want a mayor who plans to deal with the housing disaster. My Houses for Londoners will do what it says on the tin. And we now have to make renting extra inexpensive; we want a London Dwelling Hire linked to earnings (at a 3rd of native common earnings) relatively than the market worth of property, a not-for-profit London-wide letting agent to assist tenants, more durable motion in opposition to rogue landlords. I will probably be pushing for powers over the rental sector. The concept that London’s housing disaster will probably be solved by constructing on the inexperienced belt or constructing extra homes which can be then bought off-plan by buyers within the Center East and Asia is nonsense. You have got this ludicrous state of affairs the place there are tens of hundreds of properties in London sitting empty.
BAGEHOT: What does a pro-business mayor appear like? What’s your pitch to entrepreneurs and companies in London?
SADIQ KHAN: I’m the one one of many candidates who has helped run a profitable enterprise, so I do know the challenges: the sleepless nights worrying about the way to pay the wage payments on the finish of the month, in regards to the overdraft facility with the financial institution, about getting a talented workforce, in regards to the enterprise charges. As mayor I’ll help companies to develop and be extra productive. If productiveness goes up, an increasing number of will pay a London Dwelling Wage, extra can contribute in direction of London’s economic system.
One factor I’m going to do is set up “Abilities for Londoners”, a brand new partnership with London’s companies, to make sure Londoners have the abilities for the roles of the long run. Why not use the London Plan to guard small-business area? To say: if there’s a new housing growth, I would like you to supply areas for start-ups but in addition take into consideration arts areas and extra digital infrastructure. We must also be pro-skilled immigration; I communicate to so many companies who’re struggling due to the federal government’s immigration insurance policies. We additionally must be a living-wage metropolis by working with companies and providing business-rate incentives to develop the London Dwelling Wage. And it’s about utilizing the facility of procurement to make London the most effective metropolis during which to start out and develop a enterprise. We’re not simply competing any extra with Paris, Berlin and Tokyo, we’ve now acquired to consider the Chinas and Indias. We’ve acquired to be bold within the international economic system.
BAGEHOT: Your occasion chief has some odd views on enterprise and wealth-creation: a 60% price of earnings tax, banning dividends at corporations that don’t pay a residing wage. The Conservatives clearly wish to tar you with that. What ensures are you able to give Londoners that you’re your personal man?
SADIQ KHAN: Jeremy Corbyn will not be on the poll paper on Might fifth. Neither is David Cameron and Boris Johnson. I’ve set out my imaginative and prescient for London. The place I agree with the Conservative authorities, I’ll work intently with them to get the most effective deal potential. Equally the place I disagree with them, I’ll put London’s pursuits first. The identical goes for the Labour Social gathering management. Within the instances the place I agree with it, I’ll work with it. I believe Jeremy Corbyn is passionate in regards to the housing disaster and decreasing it. The place I disagree with him I’ll say so. So I disagree with him about imposing a Robin Hood Tax. I disagree together with his coverage on dividends. I don’t imagine that the Metropolis of London Company must be abolished: I believe they do actually good things and I stay up for working with them.
I’m not scared to tackle my occasion management, not like the opposite man [Zac Goldsmith]. The opposite man gives the look of being independent-minded however has spent the final three weeks bending over backwards to be photographed with David Cameron and Boris Johnson. I will probably be in no one’s pocket. It’s actually necessary that London has an advocate, whether or not it’s arguing in Brussels for reform that advantages London or working with the federal government. That additionally means tough conversations with my very own occasion management.
BAGEHOT: You have got talked about new hyperlinks with China, the remainder of Asia, Africa. Absolutely meaning London wants a single hub airport with connections to all these locations; not simply Beijing and Shanghai however the subsequent tier of cities. However you’ve come out in opposition to Heathrow growth. Why?
SADIQ KHAN: I settle for that we want extra airport capability on this space of the nation. Not like Zac Goldsmith I’ve unequivocally accepted that. Admittedly, I don’t suppose Heathrow is the reply, and I’ll inform you why. Within the final 4 years for which there are statistics, 10,000 Londoners died due to air pollution. Final 12 months a court docket decreed that the air in London is in breach of the air high quality directive. Allowing for that the floor hyperlinks to Heathrow are as difficult as they’re (the M4, the M25), taking into consideration that with none doubt I can predict there will probably be authorized obstacles if Heathrow will get the inexperienced gentle, the quickest approach to enhance air capability for this a part of the nation is a brand new runway at Gatwick. The numbers of individuals affected by noise air pollution are far smaller than for Heathrow. The variety of individuals affected by noise if we get a brand new runway at Heathrow is greater than the quantity for Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and Brussels added collectively. Gatwick has by no means breached the air high quality directive. You get the elevated air capability, the roles and the expansion, plus you get the transport hyperlinks. Extra competitors from Gatwick is sweet for Heathrow too. And by the best way, Boris Johnson has come out in opposition to increasing Metropolis Airport. I wish to relook at that. The purpose is that this: I’m in favour of a contemporary transport system that addresses London’s wants, however I’m afraid Heathrow will not be the reply. So as an alternative of getting an inside occasion furore, the federal government ought to get on and say sure to Gatwick.
BAGEHOT: You’re up in opposition to a Conservative with a powerful file in his native constituency and with the burden of the Lynton Crosby machine behind him. How do you intend to take that on?
SADIQ KHAN: I like Zac Goldsmith, I believe he’s a pleasant man, I’ve all the time acquired on with him and I’m disenchanted that he has taken the recommendation of Crosby’s staff in relation to how he how his marketing campaign has operated.
BAGEHOT: Give me an instance.
SADIQ KHAN: The form of literature they’ve been placing out in elements of London will not be conducive to , optimistic marketing campaign. I need a optimistic marketing campaign. I’ve a imaginative and prescient of a greater London for all Londoners. I’ve a plan and the expertise to make it a actuality. Like I stated, we’re at a crossroads and if we don’t act now it is going to be too late. So within the subsequent few weeks I will probably be speaking about my plan to repair the housing disaster, to have a contemporary and inexpensive transport system, for a stronger and fairer economic system, for a greener and more healthy metropolis, to maintain Londoners protected. Relating to Might fifth, what I’d like individuals to consider is: who has the values, the imaginative and prescient, the expertise and the humility to be a mayor for all Londoners? I believe the reply is me.
BAGEHOT: Sadiq Khan, thanks.
SADIQ KHAN: Thanks.
