Sadiq Khan broke half of 2016 election promises, claims Tory rival Shaun Bailey
Sadiq Khan has broken just over half of his 2016 campaign promises, Conservative mayoral rival Shaun Bailey has claimed.
Bailey will today launch an advertising claiming Khan has not delivered on 126 of his 244 manifesto promises, however Labour has called the allegation a “complete work of fiction”.
Bailey cites a list of manifesto promises that Khan did indeed break, such as his pledge to secure funding for infrastructure projects like Crosrail 2, Bakerloo line and London Overground extensions.
None of these projects have been given the go-ahead.
The mayor also said in his 2016 election manifesto that he would “support the police to do their job efficiently and effectively”, however Bailey points out that 38 London police stations have closed on Khan’s watch.
Homicide rates are also at an 11-year high, while robbery went up by more than 70 per cent over the mayor’s term.
City Hall has blamed the closure of police stations and rising crime on a sustained lack of central government funding.
Khan also said in the manifesto he would keep council tax down, however the mayor this year has raised council tax by 10 per cent as a part of Transport for London’s (TfL) bailout deal.
However, some of Bailey’s claims could be considered dubious as many of Khan’s 2016 manifesto promises did not set concrete targets and instead relied on promises of a more vague nature.
“His broken promises show that London needs a fresh start,” Bailey said.
“I’ll work with Londoners to recruit 8,000 more police, build 100,000 homes for £100,000 each, and invest more in our transport network with a new London Infrastructure Bank.
“A safer, fairer, more affordable city.”
A spokesperson for London Labour said: “These claims are a complete work of fiction from a Conservative candidate who has made a regular habit of knowingly lying to Londoners about everything from police funding to council tax and the Congestion Charge.
“He simply can’t be trusted and doesn’t share London’s values.”
Bailey and Khan will face off on 6 May in the Lodon mayoral election.
Khan is overwhelmingly expected to win, with polling showing a 20+ point lead.