Sir Keir Starmer ended an eight-year clash between City Hall and Whitehall on Tuesday as he vowed to work with Sadiq Khan to boost London.
The new Prime Minister met mayors from across England in No 10 as the Labour Government pledged to let the regions “take back control”.
Mr Khan’s time in office since 2016 has been marked by repeated bust-ups with Conservative administrations over transport, crime and housing.
But Sir Keir stressed he would work with mayors from all political parties. He has vowed to end the “bashing” of London which previous administrations were accused of indulging in, was with Levelling-up Secretary Angela Rayner meeting civic chiefs on Tuesday morning.
At the start of the meeting, he said: “Economy and growth is the number one mission of this Labour government.
“If it’s going to be growth that is worth having, it’s got to be across the country and in every single place. We will work alongside you to achieve it.”
Mr Khan said it was a “really good meeting” with Sir Keir, Communities Secretary Angela Rayner and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden.
“The fact they met with us so quickly after the general election bodes well,” he told the Standard. “It’s a real statement of intent.”
He said the premier wanted to “work with” rather than against the metro mayors, and had promised regular meetings.
“The Prime Minister… is keen to make sure that we have the winds of a Labour Government at the sails of a fantastic Labour Mayor,” emphasised Mr Khan, not shying away from trumpeting his own work.
Asked how many of Labour’s proposed 1.5 million new homes over five years could be built in London, Mr Khan said: “That’s dependent on the appetite from developers. What we don’t want is permissions being granted and homes not being built.”
He hopes that under Labour’s renationalisation of the railways “some of the commuter trains will come into TfL”.
He revealed that, during the meeting, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the London Overground had been “transformed” under Transport for London control.
Mr Burnham welcomed the Government’s plans for a “council for regions and nations”.
He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “That is honestly music to my ears. People may remember some interactions I had with previous governments.
“It was always struggling to get heard and struggling to get our perspective in the North understood in Whitehall.”
Lord Ben Houchen, the sole Tory regional mayor who attended the Downing Street gathering, said he also had a 15-minute private meeting with Sir Keir.
The Tees Valley Mayor told the BBC: “He was very keen to impress upon me that he wanted to put the country first, he wanted to work with me irrespective of party politics to get things done, to deliver on his growth agenda.
“I was also very clear with him — I have always said I would work with anybody if it is going to help me deliver for the people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”
The London Mayor has been arguing TfL should oversee services operated by Southeastern into Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations, and the Great Northern services between Hertfordshire and Moorgate.
Mr Khan has raised hopes that a Labour Government will be more willing to transfer control once Department for Transport contracts with the private rail firms expire.
The Great Northern contract runs until next March but can be extended by the DfT to 2028, while the Southeastern contract is due to run until 2027.
Mr Khan has been lobbying in recent months for a £2.2 billion “emergency stimulus” package to boost home-building.
London has consistently fallen far short of the 52,000 new homes that Mr Khan’s London Plan says are needed each year, though the Mayor has hit targets for the number of affordable homes started.
According to the London Assembly, a net total of only 35,300 homes were delivered in the capital in 2022-23, down 10 per cent on the previous year.
In the most recent financial year, 2023/24, only 2,358 affordable homes were started in London — and not a single council house.
But 10,949 affordable homes were completed, of which 8,259 were council houses. Mr Khan is judged on starts rather than completions.
The prior year, 2022/23, there were 25,658 affordable housing starts and 13,954 affordable housing completions, including 2,362 council houses.
Mr Khan has complained that he has few tax-raising powers other than imposing a precept on council tax bills and a supplementary rate on business rates.
One of Mr Khan’s frequent requests is for the £500 million a year paid by the capital’s motorists in vehicle excise duty to be retained in London. It would be a surprise if his wish were to be granted.
