Sadiq Khan admits he 'wouldn't get blank cheque' from Labour government

Sadiq Khan has admitted that a Labour government would 'not write him a blank cheque'. Speaking on The Rest of Politics' Leading podcast earlier this week, the Mayor of London stated that his shadow cabinet colleagues would not provide London with unlimited funds if they were elected to be in charge of the country's coffers at a general election, expected by the end of the year.

Mr Khan - who is standing for re-election on Thursday (May 2) - also rejected the idea that his party in power could make being in charge at City Hall harder. He said: "No, not at all. Listen, so there's only ever been one time in London's history when there's been a Labour mayor and a Labour government.

"We won the Olympics, we secured funding for the Elizabeth line, we built a record number of homes. Keir and Rachel and Angela and Yvette and Ed aren't going to write me a blank cheque, of course they won't. But rather than them being an obstacle, they'll be open channels of communication."

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The mayor also outlined how London only gets seven per cent of tax revenue raised in London, whereas New York's city authority gets 50 per cent. In Tokyo, 70 per cent. Mr Khan added that, currently, he has to go to the treasury with a 'begging bowl' and ask for more cash spend.

Khan wants more powers

He suggested that more powers should be devolved to City Hall, such as 'skills, apprenticeship levies, multi-year deals and keep development revenues' - like the joint ownership of the Elizabeth line shared by businesses, taxpayers and the Government. In addition, Mr Khan raised the possibility of part of tourists' hotel bills being given to the Greater London Authority, as is already the case in Manchester and giving City Hall more money raised via business rates.

Asked if City Hall can expect to receive any more cash from a Labour administration, Thangam Debbonaire MP, the party's shadow secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport told MyLondon: "It's absolutely right not to expect a blank cheque from a Labour government because we are going to inherit the consequences of the financial mismanagement of 14 years of Tory governments."

She added: "We want to see that, for instance, you mention housing. Under Sadiq Khan, we have seen the greatest rate of council house building since the 1970s. I want to see more of that. The ambition Sadiq has for London is incredible.

"He's already done so much, even under the Tories. I know that under a Labour government, actually championing what Sadiq does rather than undermine it, there's so much more than we can do in partnership."

Ms Debbonaire then raised Mr Khan's free school meals policy, his planting of trees, the mayor's efforts to recruit more police officers, his introduction of electric buses and 'cleaning up our air'.

Labour has to 'earn the right' to win

The shadow minister said: "I want to see more of that." But she would not be drawn on what it would mean for Labour if the Tory mayoral candidate, Susan Hall, defied polling and emerged victorious when the result is declared on March 4.

Ms Debbonaire said that the party is 'working hard for every single vote' and 'never complacent'. "Every day is a campaign day [...] we have to earn that right", she added.

It comes after Labour's shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, told MyLondon that she would not guarantee cash for large infrastructure projects in London, such as extensions to the Bakerloo line and Elizabeth line and the construction of Crossrail 2.

Read our full exclusive interview with the current Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, ahead of May 2 here. You can also read MyLondon's interview with the Tory candidate, Susan Hall, here.

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