Sadiq Khan’s press office costs rocket by 50 per cent

Sadiq Khan has been blasted today for splashing yet more taxpayers’ cash on PR after new figures revealed that his press office costs soared by 50 per cent during his first term.

The numbers released by City Hall show the Mayor spent £1,097,285 on his press office in 2020/21, compared to £732,537 in 2015/16. It’s the first time the mayoral press team has cost Londoners more than £1 million.

The Mayor’s overall office costs have also increased dramatically; in 2015/16 the taxpayer paid £3.8 million for the Mayor’s office, but this has rocketed by nearly 60% to nearly £6 million in 2020/21.

GLA Conservatives’ Leader Susan Hall said the “ever-rising PR bill” for Khan’s press team and office showed he put self-promotion before Londoners’ priorities. Ms Hall said Londoners would be “amazed” that the Mayor found yet more money for his press team while “pleading poverty”.

Susan Hall AM, Leader of the GLA Conservatives, commented: “It’s frankly shameful that Sadiq Khan has splashed so much money on his press team while pleading poverty when it comes to Londoners’ priorities. “Londoners will be amazed that the Mayor could increase his PR bill to more than £1 million considering how often he complains he is broke. The irony won’t be lost on people that Khan is wasting cash on an extortionate press team to complain how broke he is.

“Khan constantly claims that he can’t afford to invest in housing, policing and transport in London despite his £19.4 billion budget. But there is never a cash shortage when it comes to his ever-rising PR and office bill.

“I hope the Mayor will keep his press office costs under control during his second term. But, I doubt it.”