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Original poster

Londoners - why don't people like Sadiq Khan?

128 replies

Chicchicchicchiclana · 07/08/2020 20:52

I think he's alright. Certainly an improvement on the previous incumbent!

Can the issues with the congestion charge and removal of free travel for under 18s be laid firmly at his door? If so, how?

Otherwise, I see all these casual references to Sadiq Khan being single handedly responsible for the increase in knife crime and all sorts of other accusations.

Please spell it out for me if you think he is a poor Mayor ... how and why?

OP posts:
1990s · 07/08/2020 20:54

I like him. South Londoner here.

annabel85 · 07/08/2020 20:56

He's weak on crime.

1990s · 07/08/2020 20:56

The congestion charge/removal of free travel are COVID related, plain and simple.

TfL has to make money, even though it's not a profit making org. I'd like to see any org continue to provide the same service and change nothing when it's lost 90% of it's income (or whatever it is).

Lonoxo · 07/08/2020 20:56

I voted for him. He introduced the hopper thing for buses which is a plus for me. The problem with knife crime was around before he was elected. I think he needs more time. Plus who else could I vote for?

Original poster
Chicchicchicchiclana · 07/08/2020 20:57

Annabel85 - I think that is a weak answer. How exactly is he weak on crime?

OP posts:
labyrinthloafer · 07/08/2020 20:58

He is still doing well in the polls isn't he? I assume most of the people who don't like him it is either on party or racial grounds.

He's better than the last one anyway, he'll never go anywhere Grin

He's protrayed as weak on crime but it's the government who got rid of so many police officers.

labyrinthloafer · 07/08/2020 20:59

@1990s

The congestion charge/removal of free travel are COVID related, plain and simple.

TfL has to make money, even though it's not a profit making org. I'd like to see any org continue to provide the same service and change nothing when it's lost 90% of it's income (or whatever it is).

Plus the government made those a condition of their tfl bailout, so hardly Khan's fault.
TheWoodsAreDark · 07/08/2020 21:00

I used to live in his constituency, he was (then at least) a very nice man who with his family participated in lots of local events. I remember he used to come out oh litter picks with his family, can’t speak about his policies too much.

annabel85 · 07/08/2020 21:01

@Chicchicchicchiclana

Annabel85 - I think that is a weak answer. How exactly is he weak on crime?
London is a cesspit of violence and stabbings and general lawlessness. It requires tough action to reclaim the streets. What has Khan done?

The blame has to be shared. The Met Police are weak and have been weakened by ridiculously ill thought out police cuts from central government. The city mayor needs to do more.

ReggaetonLente · 07/08/2020 21:02

I like him. SE London here.

The only people i know who don't like him, dislike him for one reason only, and that's that he's a brown skinned Muslim. They're not shy about it either.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 07/08/2020 21:02

Weak on knife crime
Ultra low emission zone extension next year means I have to change my car and get into debt because I drive a 09 diesel hatch back
He increased my council tax
...for a man who’s “dad was a bus driver” he is just driving our ordinary Londoners from financially surviving.
Crap negotiator- the hrs and cost increase of the congestion charge were his choice. As for removing u18 travel, the government demanded it (I’ll never forgive them) but he bent over- he could have stopped all TfL services as a counter blackmail.
Increased his marketing budget yet no money to battle knife crime!
Spends way too much time kissing up to James O’Brien, putting down the Tories (not that difficult) in a bid to be a future Labour PM

mynameiscalypso · 07/08/2020 21:02

Do people dislike him? I think he sometimes focuses on the wrong issues and gets a little self-important but I generally think he's doing a fine job especially in the circumstances. Call me cynical but I tend to assume that criticism of him is often driven by racism (even if it's not overt)

jessstan2 · 07/08/2020 21:03

I like him. I think he is generally well liked, he does his best with an impossible task and limited resources. Most people I know seem to like him well enough but no politician is universally popular.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 07/08/2020 21:03

ReggaetonLente south east Londoner here, mixed race children, no issues with skin colour- just hate Khan. We call him Sadiq Khan’t infront of children....guess what I call him when they aren’t around!

ItsAlwaysSunnyOnMN · 07/08/2020 21:03

I’m form and live in south London

I like him. He isn’t as such a media personality as Red Ken or Boris was by that’s fine with me and I didn’t like either and happy he doesn’t court the press as much

dameofdilemma · 07/08/2020 21:06

Define ‘people’.

There is an entire industry devoted to fake news, goady, negative stories designed to discredit politicians rather than report news, false twitter accounts etc.

We have a Labour mayor under an elitist, right wing Tory government. It’s nigh on impossible for SK to get good press.

Put it this way, it wasn’t the Mayors idea to increase the congestion charge or scrap travel concessions for children and OAPs. But come the Mayoral campaign trail the Tory candidate will berate him for it.

Original poster
Chicchicchicchiclana · 07/08/2020 21:09

How does the budget work? I know individual councils get their budget from central Government so every London borough has faced huge austerity (we're all in it together Hmm) budget cuts from the Conservative party.

But then there is the Mayor and his staff. The budget comes from Government too? How has that budget changed over the years? I'm a bit ignorant about it all tbh.

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 07/08/2020 21:12

Put it this way, it wasn’t the Mayors idea to increase the congestion charge or scrap travel concessions for children and OAPs the hours increase and the amount of money the congestion charge increased by was down to Khan. Don’t get me wrong the Tories take the majority of blame but Common sense tells you the government wouldn’t let TfL walk out- couldn’t negotiate himself out of a paper bag.

RudeAF · 07/08/2020 21:14

I don’t mind him. I never see any suggestions as to what exactly he can or should do about knife crime etc. Just that he should do “something” and “be tough”. And I do think it was time something was done about fully free travel for under 18s tbh - travel to school should be based on means and distance like everywhere else in the country. Buses are packed out with kids going two or three stops at start and finish times because it’s free, meaning people with longer journeys struggle to get on. I lived in a fairly nice area of NW London with 3 schools close together and the police had to attend the bus stop opposite every afternoon to supervise the kids waiting and boarding which is just ridiculous and unfair on residents.

IDidntChoseThePondLife · 07/08/2020 21:15

I’m se6 and like him too.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 07/08/2020 21:24

travel to school should be based on means and distance there’s limited spaces in schools and secondary schools can be very far away, often more than 1 bus. It would cost more to run a calculation on Each child’s home address against their parents income than just issue free travel. Equally you’d rely on parents- of which there are crap ones- to apply, and some kids will fall through the net. Many kids in secondary schools don’t have enough money on their lunch cards to eat, because of forgetful or crap
Parenting.
As for distance: My nephews school is “only” 3 stops, you say he should walk? It’s uphill and his school don’t give you a locker, so that’s all his books and kit etc he has to schlep.
Means testing is also crap- squeezes everyone in the middle again.
Decent people campaign to extend free u18 travel to all children irrespective of geography. Bitter, spiteful people want to take from those that benefit already!

RudeAF · 07/08/2020 21:31

One post is enough for you to know I’m bitter and spiteful Grin ok then! Yes of course he should walk three stops if he’s able. In London that’s barely any distance. London also doesn’t have the monopoly on people on low incomes. I grew up in a deprived part of the north west and bus passes aren’t free.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 07/08/2020 21:39

Yes of course he should walk three stops if he’s able by that reasoning so should adults!

London also doesn’t have the monopoly on people on low incomes didn’t say it did, the mayor of London’s job though is to look out for Londoners. Not screw them over.

I grew up in a deprived part of the north west and bus passes aren’t free that’s a problem, does taking away from London teenagers magically make the lives of those outside of London better?!

Vinorosso74 · 07/08/2020 21:40

North Londoner here. I like him as a mayor-he seems quite down to earth without any celebrity ambitions. I voted for him and will again at the delayed elections. From some Facebook crap Inhsve seen the majority who have a problem with him don't live in London and don't like him as he's not white and he's Muslim.
The money TFL received when BJ was mayor was a lot higher than now (coincidence ay?). Knife crime is an issue and was before he was mayor; this isn't just his responsibility as he can't change laws.