London is not only the capital of the nation, but also a global metropolis for culture and the arts. From world-class academia to museums, video games to fashion, the city is teeming with energy and fresh ideas. And so today, Sadiq Khan pledged to “turbo charge” the capital’s creative economy if re-elected, saying he will help bring a £3 billion boost to the sector by 2028.
Given the number of other issues affecting Londoners — not least crime, transport and the cost of living — the arts are sometimes forced to take a back seat. They shouldn’t. A report last year from City Hall found that one in five jobs in the capital were in the creative sector, which in 2019 contributed £55 billion to London’s economy. This is no accident, and the creative industries need careful support. Politicians, both at a local and national level, must not take the capital and its leading status for granted. Instead of levelling down, both Labour and the Conservatives ought to double down on the city which underpins the influence Britain has on the world.
