The London Assembly has unanimously chastised the Mayor of London today, during a Plenary meeting with Transport of London.
The Mayor was asked to attend the meeting to discuss his draft transport strategy but sent Deputy Mayor for Transport, Val Shawcross CBE in his place.
A unanimous motion agreed today by all four parties on the London Assembly requested that in future, Sadiq Khan attend all Assembly meetings to which he is invited.
Gareth Bacon AM, who proposed the motion said:
“By failing to attend these meetings the Mayor has displayed a worrying level of contempt for the body that holds him to account.
Sadiq Khan needs to realise it is not optional to answer questions about the decisions he has taken and the frustration among members of all parties has been growing.
We took this unusual step today to send a very strong message to the Mayor. I hope he has listened and will be present at future meetings at City Hall.”
The full text of the Motion is:
This Assembly notes that both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson attended every single Transport Plenary to which they were invited during their respective Mayoralties.
This Assembly therefore notes with dismay the current Mayor Sadiq Khan's absence from today's Plenary meeting and puts on record its strong desire that this is the last time he misses a London Assembly meeting to which he is invited.
Notes to editors
- The motion was agreed unanimously.
- Watch the full webcast.
- Gareth Bacon AM, who proposed the motion is available for interviews. Please see contact details below.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 020 7983 4428. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.