Susan Hall is not holding back. Indeed, anything else would be out of character. The Conservative candidate for Mayor set out her stall in an exclusive interview with the Standard, in which she makes major interventions on crime, women’s safety, pro-Palestinian marches and Ulez.
What has long been clear is that the capital needs a serious contest and Sadiq Khan must be held to account for his record. The Mayor may lead in the polls but he enjoys a fairly frosty minus 16 net approval rating. Hardly a ringing endorsement of the past eight years.
Take violent crime. It is a top priority for Londoners, yet it risks being sidelined. Already this year, 19 teenagers have been killed, while knife-enabled crimes in the year to the end of June were up 21 per cent on the previous 12-month period.
Questions have been raised over Hall’s suitability, given some of her tweets and support for Donald Trump. But Hall says she has the backing of Tory HQ — something her predecessor Shaun Bailey appeared to lack — and she clearly cares about the city.
The test, as for any Conservative running for London Mayor, is to build bridges and win over swing voters. Hall has six months to do it.
Driving a wedge
Wedge issues and dividing lines are key tools in politics. But they are at their most effective when they drive a wedge or create division in the other party, not your own. Steve Barclay has become the latest Cabinet minister to refuse to back Suella Braverman’s strange suggestion that some people living in tents on Britain’s streets are doing so as “lifestyle choices”.
Homelessness in the capital is at crisis levels. The number of people sleeping rough on London’s streets has passed 4,000 — a rise of 12 per cent in the past year, according to a new report by the Greater London Authority.
On an individual level, its causes are often complex and overlapping. But the soaring cost of rent and ever-higher bills is clearly having a substantial impact. We need politicians interested in solving deep-seated problems, not constantly angling for the leadership of their party.
Creative powerhouse
London is a creative economy superpower. One in five jobs in the capital is now in sectors such as design, music, film and computer games, representing a rise of more than 200,000 in five years, according to a report by City Hall.
The industry brings in money, attracts tourism and contributes to economic growth across the country. Further support from the Government, rather than attempts at levelling London down, would benefit us all.
