Sadiq Khan refuses to meet London Assembly for 6 weeks

· City Hall Tories have criticised Sadiq Khan for “suspending democracy” during the coronavirus crisis by refusing to meet the London Assembly for over six weeks.

· The Mayor has been asked to accept an invitation to the London Assembly's first virtual meeting this week to answer urgent questions.

Sadiq Khan must attend the London Assembly’s first virtual meeting this week after refusing to face scrutiny for more than six weeks, demanded the Conservative group at City Hall today.

The Mayor of London has refused every invitation to meet the London Assembly since the country was locked down. The last time Khan answered the Assembly’s questions was Mayor’s Question Time on the 19th March.

The GLA Conservatives have requested the Mayor meet the Assembly this week to answer urgent questions about overcrowding on the Tube, the safety of London’s transport workers, and how Transport for London will cope when the lockdown is eased. In a letter, signed by the London Assembly’s eight Conservative members, Khan was accused of “suspending democracy” by refusing to meet the London Assembly. They told the Mayor that even in a crisis “you must still be accountable to Londoners”.

Susan Hall AM, Leader of the GLA Conservatives, said:

“The Mayor must attend the London Assembly’s first virtual meeting this week and answer urgent questions about his handling of the coronavirus outbreak. He has escaped scrutiny for too long. It’s unacceptable that he has refused every invitation to meet the Assembly for six weeks. “Coronavirus is not an excuse to suspend democracy in our city. In a crisis, it’s more important than ever that Sadiq Khan is held to account and his decisions are scrutinised. Otherwise, it’s impossible to ensure that City Hall is responding to this crisis in the best way it can.

“I am not surprised that Sadiq Khan is chickening out of meeting the London Assembly. The Mayor has failed to stop overcrowding on the Tube, has failed to keep London’s transport workers safe, and has failed to keep Transport for London from crumbling under this crisis.

“We have had enough stalling from the Mayor. It’s time Khan addressed the urgent questions Londoners want answers to.”