After 5 Years of Labour’s bias, the Conservatives, Greens and Lib Dems have formed an alliance on the Greater London Assembly to exclude Labour members from chairing the Assembly committees that hold the Mayor to account.
Conservative member Andrew Boff will chair the Assembly with Keith Prince as his deputy.
The Conservatives will chair six of the committees. The Greens will chair three committees and the Lib Dems will chair two.
The Labour members won’t chair or have a majority on any committee. This will mean that the committees will be more effective in holding Mayor Sadiq Khan to account.
Not before time, Khan has had an amazingly soft time from the Assembly over the last 5 years, but that is now going to stop.
However, Labour blasted the Greens and Lib Dems for “getting into bed with the Tories” and accused them of forming a “coalition” and “betraying their progressive values”.
Len Duvall, leader of the London Assembly Labour group, said: “Just a week ago, Green and Lib Dem candidates were standing on supposedly progressive platforms – a week later, they’re in bed with the Tories.
“They’re betraying the very people who put them in City Hall, and they’re betraying their progressive values. They say they want to reflect the political balance of the Assembly yet they’re supporting each other’s preferences and not Labour’s.
“What we essentially have here is a new coalition. It’s disappointing to see the Lib Dems and Greens backing the Tories this way – they had a choice and they’ve decided to go with those who want to weaken our public services.”
Mr Duvall said Labour did not have to chair any committees to “play a full part in scrutiny”.
Taxi Leaks Extra bit:
It stands to reason that if you have a Labour mayor, then any meeting to hold the mayor to account should not be chaired by his own party.
Same again, if it was a conservative in the position.
This new coalition, is most definitely a step in the right direction for the sake of democracy
1 comment:
So this is good news? Well if it is I wouldn't want to hear the bad news. The LA are not, to put it bluntly & in old fashioned terms; worth 2 bob!
They have about as much influence as a box of candles would in powering a rocket to the moon (but the candles would have better odds).
I know it's good that the labour wasters are not involved but this mayor & previous mayors, do not take one iota of notice of the LA. Also, does anyone believe the new leader of this toothless brigade is a tremendous fan of the Licensed London Taxi Trade? They all purport to be but what have they ever done for the trade! The only people amongst this conglomeration who have supported it are: Mr Prince & with great ferocity; Susan Hall. In addition to this if anyone believes the Lib Dem's or Greens will come out in support or to assist the Licensed Taxi Trade, they are more deluded than the policies these two parties promote. The tories missed a trick when they chose Mr Bailey as their candidate and should've gone for Susan Hall, as she has the experience, gusto & more to the point; I believe she is on a mission to deal with Mr Khan at the slightest opportunity, plus a great fan of the trade (whereas a couple of the others have a bit of history related to speaking in favourable terms, for a topical app company - no prizes for guessing who they are! So basically it's no use the trade holding its breath waiting for a miracle from the LA - I think the only chance it has, is .... well a 🐕 chance with this authority!
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