Call to change Assembly voting threshold

This Assembly believes that a balance has to be maintained between a strong Mayor who is able to implement his or her manifesto and an Assembly with the potential to make the Mayor rethink any ill-considered decisions.

However, the current requirement for there to be a two-thirds majority in the Assembly in favour of revising or rejecting key decisions by the Mayor has meant that this vital check-and-balance power provided to the Assembly has never been exercised.

The London Assembly therefore believes that a 60% threshold – replacing the current requirement of a two-thirds majority – for revising or rejecting key decisions by the Mayor, including the Mayor’s budget and statutory strategies, should be provided for within statute at the earliest opportunity.