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Category: London

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Support from Londoners for ULEZ

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Support from Londoners for ULEZ

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 10 October 2022.

    Air pollution in our city is contributing to children growing up with stunted lungs and older Londoners developing dementia.

    The ULEZ has already made a big difference – reducing air pollution by nearly half in central London and helping us to tackle the climate emergency. It’s clear that Londoners now want the zone to be expanded given the immense harm air pollution is still causing in our city – from cancer to dementia. Expansion of the ULEZ would lead to five million more people being able to breathe cleaner, less polluted air.

    In making my decision I will carefully consider all responses to the public consultation and Londoners’ views.

    I don’t want us to miss out on any opportunities to protect Londoners from toxic air so that we can continue building a healthier, cleaner and greener London for everyone.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Violence in London

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Violence in London

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 7 October 2022.

    I am committed to tackling violence and building a safer city for all Londoners.

    My approach of being tough on violence through the hard work of our police and tough on the complex causes of violence, is showing signs of progress. Overall, crime continues to fall in London, bucking the national trend, with knife crime with injury for under 25s and gun crime both down. However, it’s clear more needs to be done in partnership to continue making progress.

    Partnership work from prevention to enforcement is vital to tackling violence and the work my VRU does alongside the NHS and its violence reduction programme is a fantastic example of working together to identify opportunities to intervene early to divert young people and help them access positive life opportunities.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on the Government’s Fiscal Statement

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on the Government’s Fiscal Statement

    The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 23 September 2022.

    The measures in this Budget are not only unfair, but will put public finances on an unsustainable footing, which risks harming our economy for years to come.

    As the country grapples with the worst cost of living crisis in decades, the Chancellor has today prioritised massive unfunded tax giveaways for the wealthy, rather than helping those households that are really struggling.

    There is not enough in today’s Fiscal Statement to help those families and businesses who need support the most.

    Today was a missed opportunity from the Chancellor who could have made a real difference to millions of Londoners by providing free school meals to all primary school children, uplifting Universal Credit and ensuring that the most vulnerable receive a basic amount of free energy. He should also have given me the power to freeze private rents in London, which would save people £3,000 over two years.

    Instead the Government has chosen to bring in an swathe of tax cuts that they admit will disproportionately benefit the most wealthy in society. Londoners who are struggling to make ends meet will be disappointed at the lack of immediate help today.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments Following Disorder Outside Iranian Embassy

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments Following Disorder Outside Iranian Embassy

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 26 September 2022.

    The scenes that took place last night were completely unacceptable. The selfish minority who attempted to hijack a peaceful protest must be brought to justice.

    The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, but violence and attacks on our police and communities will never be tolerated. I am in close contact with the Met Commissioner and the police have my full support in pursuing those behind the disorder.

    On behalf of all Londoners, I wish all the officers injured a swift recovery and urge anyone with information on those involved to call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Samson Kambalu Artwork on Fourth Plinth

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Samson Kambalu Artwork on Fourth Plinth

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 28 September 2022.

    I’m delighted that Samson Kambalu’s inspiring sculpture has become the latest to take its place on the Fourth Plinth. Our world-renowned sculpture prize entertains, educates and inspires. Samson is shining a light on an often overlooked part of our country’s history and I’m sure it will encourage discussion about the fight for freedom and equality. As we continue to fight against racism and stand-up for equality across our city and country, it is a message that remains just as important today.

  • Jefferson Bosela – 2022 Comments on Shooting of Chris Kaba

    Jefferson Bosela – 2022 Comments on Shooting of Chris Kaba

    The comments made by Jefferson Bosela, a cousin of Chris Kaba and spokesman for the family, on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme on 13 September 2022.

    INTERVIEWER

    [How did you hear about the death?]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    The police claim that Chris died around midnight, but the family found out at 11 o’clock, you know, so that was 11 hours later. So his Mum would have woken up, gone to work not knowing that her son wasn’t alive anymore. You know, and yesterday at the vigil, that that’s one thing that she kept saying, ‘I didn’t even spend the last few minutes of your life with you, what was you saying Chris, was you asking for me?’ and that was like heart wrenching.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Did the police come and tell her the news?]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    I’m not sure if it was the IOPC [Independent Office for Police Conduct] or the police. One of them came in eventually and told her.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked what the family felt like now that a police officer had been suspended and an investigation had begun]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    Well, we welcome that decision. Let’s be honest, I think the second a criminal investigation was opened he should have been suspended from there. In fact, the IOPC are moving a bit too slow. You know, first we wanted a criminal investigation opened and that took for three to four days, and then the officer being suspended took another two days. So it seems that there is no urgency in the dealings of this quite tragic matter.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked whether the family were happy to let the investigation run its course or whether they had questions of their own]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    We definitely have questions, for example, you know initially we wanted to find out whether the car had been searched on Wednesday, even though the incident happened on Monday night, they couldn’t tell us that. Eventually they told us that the car was searched, but they couldn’t tell us if whether found a weapon. They then told us after three hours, so you know, they’re very slow, but the question we’re asking now is, were they following the car or were they following Chris? Because what they’re saying is that the car was flagged in our ANPR[ Automatic Number Plate Recognition] system, but now we know that the car was not registered in Chris’s name. So that means that it could have been anyone in that car. We need to know the difference between whoever they were following Chris, or whether they were following the suspected owner of the car.

    INTERVIEWER

    [This is crucial, was Chris in his own vehicle?]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    It wasn’t registered in his name, I can tell you that much. He was alone in the car as well at the time, but whether or not that was his own car I can’t confirm or deny. But, I can say it wasn’t registered in his name.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Is it possible that it was the car which had been linked to a firearms incident earlier?]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    If that’s what the police watchdog are saying and, you know, they’re carrying out a criminal investigation and I’m not here to confirm or deny that. But that’s not necessarily the matter here, the matter is whether Chris was unlawfully killed by a police officer. There is no evidence the car was linked to firearms because I’ve known people and heard of people who were in vehicles which were linked to firearms and they came out alive. So the question is, what went on in the night that led to him being killed? This is why the family are immediately and urgently demanding that we see both body cam footage of the incident and also aerial footage that was taken from the helicopter.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked whether the family had asked the Met for this or whether it was now part of the investigation]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    As much as the property belongs to the police, and the IOPC right now are dealing with the investigation, so they have the property or the information, so we’ve demanded it from them. I think it was yesterday that we we sent a request, or the day before, so we’re waiting for updates on that.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked if the family had been given a timescale for the investigation]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    No, no, we have not. They’ve been extremely vague throughout the whole investigation in terms of just very simple details, for example, was the car registered to Chris? It took us nearly a week to find out. So equally when it comes to them explaining how long the investigation will take, they’ve been just as vague, telling us it’s like how long is a piece of string. They’re not really being helpful and I think that definitely causes a lot of upset, not just for the family, but for the local community as well.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked how close he was to Chris]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    I was really close to him, he was my cousin, he was more more like a best friend. We’re really, really tight and even though we didn’t speak every single day, when whenever I saw him it was always love. I always say that he had a gift of making people feel special and I definitely felt that.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked if they were the same age]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    I’m 27, he’s 24, or he was 24.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked if they grew up closely together]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    Yes, 100%, we grew up extremely close as we’re Congolese. For those who know the Congolese community, we’re quite a small community in London so everyone knows each other, which means we’re probably a bit closer and more tight than the the ordinary community or the ordinary family.

    INTERVIEWER

    [Asked how his mother was coping]

    JEFFERSON BOSELA

    She’s just absolutely gutted, she’s just devastated and she doesn’t know why this happened. She’s questioning God, she’s asking God like what did I do so wrong for this to be for me? She’s just in pain, she’s just inconsolable. Every meeting we’ve had with the IOPC in which his Mum has been attending, she’s just been crying throughout. She’s cried throughout every single meeting, whether it was with the lawyers or the IOPC.

     

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Chris Kaba

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Chris Kaba

    The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 9 September 2022.

    This is a significant development [the IOPC Investigation]. From the outset I have been in close touch with the independent police watchdog, the IOPC, who said they would be thorough and go wherever the evidence took them. Their investigation has now resulted in the launch of a homicide investigation into Chris Kaba’s death.

    My heartfelt sympathies remain with Chris Kaba’s family, friends and loved ones, who are having to come to terms with a young life cut short.

    I fully understand the grave concerns and impact of Chris’ death on Black Londoners across our city and the anger, pain and fear it has caused – as well as the desire for justice and change.

    I appreciate that there are many unanswered questions and I want to reassure all of London’s communities that I will continue to push for these to be answered.

  • Grant Shapps – 2022 Statement on TFL Long Term Funding Settlement

    Grant Shapps – 2022 Statement on TFL Long Term Funding Settlement

    The statement made by Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 5 September 2022.

    Following my statement to the House on 13 July (2022), I am writing to update the House that today we have agreed a new longer-term funding settlement between Transport for London (TfL) and government. The final extraordinary funding settlement expired on 3 August and I have agreed with the Mayor of London a new settlement until 31 March 2024 or until Transport for London reaches financial sustainability, whichever is the sooner.

    This longer-term settlement includes over £1.1 billion (bn) of additional grant funding until March 2024 for London transport, which will unlock almost £3.6bn worth of critical infrastructure investment, with a number of projects set to revolutionise travel across the capital.

    As a result of our longer-term settlement, major upgrades will be delivered for Londoners, including new Piccadilly line trains and the modernisation of the District, Metropolitan, Hammersmith and City and Circle lines – maintaining the London Underground’s world-class status. Further benefits include: supporting the long-awaited repair of Hammersmith Bridge; vital improvement to Elephant and Castle station and a London Overground extension between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside to service more than 10,000 new homes in east London.

    As part of the settlement, the Mayor will be required to continue work on the introduction of driverless trains on London Underground, in use on the Dockland Light Railway for more than 35 years. At a time when strikes are crippling both the Underground and national rail systems, never has this work been more important.

    Alongside all of this is government’s continued commitment to mitigate TfL’s loss of passenger revenue from the ongoing uncertainty of demand following changes to travel patterns since the COVID-19 pandemic. None of this would have been possible without government funding.

    The settlement letter requires Transport for London to modernise and control its operating costs, to make it a modern, effective, efficient and financially stable operator. It is a settlement that is fair and proportionate to London whilst also taking into account funding provided elsewhere in the country and the cost to the national taxpayer, at a time of great pressure on national finances.

    It comes on top of the over £5bn of funding support the government has already provided to TfL since the beginning of the pandemic and government’s commitment to over £1 billion per year until 2025 for London transport through business rates retention.

    Through all of this, government is continuing to work with the Mayor and TfL to ensure London’s transport system delivers for the public and businesses and contributes to the country’s economy.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on GLA Spending Power

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on GLA Spending Power

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 2 September 2022.

    As a group, the GLA has immense purchasing power and we can harness that to directly support the capital’s small businesses and contribute to making London net zero by 2030. We need to implement bold initiatives to ensure that the decisions we make help to build a better London – a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Universal Free School Meals for All Schoolchildren

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Universal Free School Meals for All Schoolchildren

    The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 2 September 2022.

    Families are sending their children back to school this week and many will be wondering how they’ll be able to keep putting food on the table as the cost-of-living crisis worsens.

    The Government must act now to introduce universal free school meals for all primary school children. This would help build a better London for everyone, saving families hundreds of pounds a year, ensuring all primary pupils are eating a healthy, nutritious meal at school and also eliminating the stigma associated with being eligible for free school meals, to increase uptake among those who need it most.