London Mayor Sadiq Khan has come under fire this week from the Conservative Party over allegations that he has wasted £123 million of taxpayer money on “misplaced priorities” during his tenure at City Hall.
The accusations are detailed in a new Conservative report that points to several examples of alleged wasteful spending.
Topping the list is £10 million that was reportedly spent on a training course for Metropolitan Police officers that included personality tests to determine the “color” of officers.
According to GB News, the report also takes aim at Khan for investing hundreds of thousands of pounds in two “beach parties” at the Royal Docks in 2018 and 2019.
Overall, the Conservatives claim that Khan has frittered away an estimated £123 million of public funds that could have been put to better use.
They included several recommendations for Khan on how to redirect these monies, such as building scooter highways for children and providing discounted groceries for disadvantaged communities.
Khan’s team was quick to fire back at the report, dismissing it as “deliberately misleading.” They clarified that the £10 million in question was used to fund a comprehensive Met Police training program, not simply personality assessments.
Additionally, they stated that the Royal Docks events pre-dated Khan’s mayoralty, having started in 2013 under previous Mayor Boris Johnson.
This back-and-forth underscores the heightened tensions between Khan and Conservatives as the next mayoral election in 2024 draws nearer. Khan is seeking an unprecedented third term as London’s mayor. His main challenger is expected to be Susan Hall, who currently leads the Conservatives in the London Assembly.
Hall and other Conservatives have been ramping up their attacks on Khan’s record as the election approaches.
In addition to the allegations of wasteful spending, they have criticized his handling of crime, congestion, and pollution in the city. Khan has countered by blaming government austerity measures and lack of funding from Westminster for many of London’s woes.
The rivalry is likely to only intensify in the coming months. Khan is portraying himself as a steady hand guiding London through difficult times. Meanwhile, Hall and the Conservatives are angling to unseat him by characterizing his leadership as spendthrift and ineffective.
With Khan’s lead narrowing in recent polls, the Conservatives spy an opportunity. However, Khan remains the frontrunner and defeating a two-term incumbent mayor will be no easy task.
How the back-and-forth plays out could come down to which side London voters see as more credible on the key issues facing their city.
