Sadiq Khan accused of avoiding public over tube strikes
Sadiq Khan has been accused of hiding from the public amid ongoing tube strikes hitting Londoners and commuters, with costs on businesses projected to rise above £100m.
The Mayor has faced heavy criticism over the lack of public comments made in response to the tube strikes, with union bosses holding firm on radical demands to cut the working week to 32 hours due to “fatigue”.
Tory opposition figures in City Hall accused Khan of a “complete abdication of duty” during the ongoing dispute while leading business groups threw a spotlight on the spiralling costs of the strikes.
Susan Hall, the Conservative leader in City Hall, said Khan was making problems “somebody else’s fault” despite an electoral promise to see zero days of strikes during his term as Mayor.
“He’s had more strikes than the other two mayors put together,” Hall told Morning Wire.
“All the unions think Labour is an easy target, and all they have to do is demand and threaten and they get their own way.”
Keith Prince, who is transport spokesman for City Hall Conservatives, said Khan’s refusal to speak out publicly while demanding the cancellation of a defence investment fair at the ExCel, due to begin today, showed his priorities were “completely wrong”.
Top Tory Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said that while the Mayor is “first in line to opine on some lefty cause [he] has nothing to say to the millions of Londoners left in the lurch.”
Sadiq Khan faces pressure from industry
Earlier on Monday, No 10 backed “fed up” Londoners as the PM’s spokesperson urged Khan to find a solution with the trade union RMT to end industrial action, which is set to last until Friday.
“RMT and Transport for London (TfL) need to get back around the table, work together to resolve this dispute in the interests of passengers,” the spokesman said.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, said: “Nobody wants to see strike action or disruption for Londoners.
“Strikes have a serious impact on London’s businesses and commuters. The Mayor continues to urge the RMT and TfL to get around the table to resolve this matter and get the network re-open.”
TfL said it made the union a “fair” pay offer representing a 3.4 per cent rise in wages, which was rejected by RMT.
Train drivers in London earn an average of £71,000 with generous additional perks.
The Night Time Industries Association said some £150m could be lost in revenue this week as commuters and tourists are hit by the disruption.
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: “Consumers will be forced to change or cancel their plans, impacting sales, and many hospitality teams will have difficulty making it to work.”
Karim Fatehi, the chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “At a time when businesses are faced with rising operating costs, higher taxes and tight margins there is the risk that a single week of industrial action threatens jobs and jeopardises long-term viability.”