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Original poster

Sadiq Khan. Can anyone tell me something positive about what he has done?

592 replies

Luckymum20 · 08/10/2025 19:20

So the past few days I've unfortunately gone down a bit of a rabbit hole of clips about the Mayor of London.

From what I have seen the man is an utter buffoon who has done nothing to improve London, in fact quite the opposite.

Strikes increasing. Homelessness increasing. Crime - off the charts. Congestion zone charges etc.

And don't get me started on the deputy who seems to be from another planet!

I am not from London, so just wondering if anyone at all has anything positive at all to say about this catastrophe of man!

OP posts:
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Ginmonkeyagain · 09/10/2025 13:12

TBF I live in an area served by Southern and it is pretty dire - which is why I am supportive of Khan's proposal to bring the suburban London train routes under TfL control - turned down by the Tories IRRC.

simplesimoneatspie · 09/10/2025 13:12

No

Redpeach · 09/10/2025 13:10

TheFoodLife · 09/10/2025 12:09

Ha ha. Are you a Sadiq fan girl? I doubt you even live in london. You said transport was working well, too. Much lols. It’s gone down the pan, it’s dire.

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What routes do you travel that are so dire?

dizzydizzydizzy · 09/10/2025 12:53

Like several PPs have said ULEZ and the resulting reduction in air pollution. I'm really pleasantly surprised to see this - where I live (outer London) I have never met anyone who is in favour of it and ULEZ cameras are constantly being cut down and people egg them on (on social media).

Redpeach · 09/10/2025 12:52

JillyJoy · 09/10/2025 10:06

Surely most of the improvements to air quality are due to engine technology in newer vehicles and the loss of old polluting ones. Especially the old bus and black cab engines that were in use up to about 2018. When my diesel car, 8 years old, is tested it gives results that are only just measurable.
School meals; easy to be popular handing out meal vouchers.

Yes you're right, that new technology called the bicycle, which has risen by 50% in some parts of london. Private car ownership is going down

Ginmonkeyagain · 09/10/2025 12:51

Anyone who thinks London's public transport hasn't improved, hasn't been to New York recently. They are still living in tne seventies over there

LakieLady · 09/10/2025 12:43

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 09/10/2025 10:24

Strange. I remember a bunch of (admittedly mostly non-Londoner) people whining at great length about how ULEZ expansion would effectively ban their old vehicles from entering greater London and that it would be a disaster for local businesses. A number of ULEZ cameras were cut down or otherwise damaged.

If, as you're claiming, those old polluting engines were gone well before the ULEZ was expanded, why all the complaints?

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Even quite old petrol vehicles, like the 2000 Audi I had, were ULEZ compliant. I think it's only diesels or very old petrol vehicles that are affected.

There are exemptions for classic and vintage cars, too. The 1964 Merc that I had would be exempt, if only I still had it!

LakieLady · 09/10/2025 12:32

SuffolkSun · 09/10/2025 09:38

There is no Congestion charge in "Greater" (presume you mean Outer) London and many parts of Inner London. The boundary is Euston Road, Park Lane, Vauxhall Bridge, A3204 and Tower Bridge.

Which you would know if you actually live in London

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Thanks for that clarification.

I was starting to wonder why I hadn't had penalty notices for my trips to Croydon.

Cyclebabble · 09/10/2025 12:29

FoodFor · 09/10/2025 10:56

London has improved??? Crime is low???

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Yes over the last 20 years it certainly has. The tubes particularly have had significant investment and new lines (Elizabeth line in particular is really useful going East to West). If anything the number of culture places (food, theatre, museums, galleries, shopping and other venues), has increased and crime is generally low compared to other European cities I travel to. I have never had an issue working through centra London on my own at night and I do not now.

LakieLady · 09/10/2025 12:22

gannett · 09/10/2025 08:20

As an actual far left person, Sadiq Khan's milquetoast soft-left politics didn't really impress me when he was an MP. He's been an excellent mayor though. Ulez alone is a greater legacy than most politicians achieve and he pushed it through against a lot of (batshit) opposition.

The Superloop had completely passed me by because I live in Zone 2, but that's a stroke of genius! And if only the Bakerloop had existed when I lived in New Cross...

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I'm glad I'm not the only one who's impressed by it.

I'd actually quite like to ride the whole Superloop. I wonder if my old farts' bus pass is valid on it ...

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 09/10/2025 12:15

Perhaps this thread will be taken down and inspected by MNHQ like the Proud to be Bri’ish one.

bookworm14 · 09/10/2025 12:13

TheFoodLife · 09/10/2025 12:09

Ha ha. Are you a Sadiq fan girl? I doubt you even live in london. You said transport was working well, too. Much lols. It’s gone down the pan, it’s dire.

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I’ve lived in London for 20 years, and I don’t believe I said anything about transport. I honestly don’t think about Sadiq Khan from one month to the next, unlike some people.

Ginmonkeyagain · 09/10/2025 12:10

SocksAndTheCity · 09/10/2025 12:09

So do I. I'm wondering where these posters think credible statistics about London crime are best found, if not the london.gov website. GB News? Ticketmaster?

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Probably from proudpatriot1966 on X

TheFoodLife · 09/10/2025 12:09

bookworm14 · 09/10/2025 12:04

Crime stats are not just based on crimes reported to the police.

Ha ha. Are you a Sadiq fan girl? I doubt you even live in london. You said transport was working well, too. Much lols. It’s gone down the pan, it’s dire.

SocksAndTheCity · 09/10/2025 12:09

bookworm14 · 09/10/2025 11:47

And I also live and work in London.

So do I. I'm wondering where these posters think credible statistics about London crime are best found, if not the london.gov website. GB News? Ticketmaster?

justteanbiscuits · 09/10/2025 12:07

What has Khan done for us?

Well, there is the massively improved accessibility on public transport. The lowest murder rate on record. Supported women to report sexual assaults with wide ranging campaigns. Air quality that no longer gives us black bogies. The Superloop. The Hopper fares. Over 2000 emission free buses. A tenfold increase in council home construction. Funding of 1300 additional police officers. Free school meals for all primary aged kids.

But OTHER than that?

bookworm14 · 09/10/2025 12:04

Crime stats are not just based on crimes reported to the police.

pointythings · 09/10/2025 12:02

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TheFoodLife · 09/10/2025 11:59

bookworm14 · 08/10/2025 19:33

And violent crime in London is falling, and has been for years.

Why, if you really and truly think about it, would crime figures be falling?

Think about it for a moment. Why, in an ever expanding city, would crime fall?

there’s only one reason. People don’t report it. There isn’t an active police force.

pointythings · 09/10/2025 11:58

FoodFor · 09/10/2025 11:44

That's complete BS. As someone who lives and works in London, we all know crime is on the rise.

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This statement requires evidence. Hitchens' Razor and all that.

gannett · 09/10/2025 11:50

FoodFor · 09/10/2025 11:44

That's complete BS. As someone who lives and works in London, we all know crime is on the rise.

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Citation needed.

Sexentric · 09/10/2025 11:47

earphoneson · 09/10/2025 11:43

It’s not you. So many of them now. I imagine mostly bots.
However sometimes I have a funny dream of separating part of the island and putting them all right-wing people, with Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, and Tony Whatshisname in charge, with not a single immigrant/ POC in their cities, and let them live in their perfect, great land protected by high walls. Ah, dreams.

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Ha! Yes please. And they can stick as many flags on lamp posts (at half mast obviously!) as they like there

bookworm14 · 09/10/2025 11:47

And I also live and work in London.

bookworm14 · 09/10/2025 11:46

So the stats are just made up, are they? It must be frustrating when reality doesn’t conform to your prejudices.

FoodFor · 09/10/2025 11:44

SocksAndTheCity · 09/10/2025 11:25

It is right, yes.

https://www.london.gov.uk/violent-crime-leading-injury-falling-every-london-borough

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That's complete BS. As someone who lives and works in London, we all know crime is on the rise.