New chancellor, same story: London is always left out of Whitehall’s plan for growth Nick bowes London won’t always keep growing if it is continually ignored by government. What will the Chancellor have to say then?
The Notebook: Nick Bowes on devolution, LA’s issues and why Lewisham is now home ACCESS to opportunities – well-paid jobs and high-quality study – is a major part of the levelling up agenda.Clearly, some parts of the UK don’t have the same access to jobs and education as others. London scores well, being home to amazing universities and colleges and thousands of high-end jobs. Many Londoners can see the [...]
London pays its way in the economy, Treasury needs to remember to pay us back Nick Bowes After three prime ministers in as many months, it’s been hard to keep up with the government’s positions. Fracking, triple lock pensions, levelling up – out, in and out again – like a kind of policy hokey cokey. Today, at least, we will get some clarity on the fiscal plan of the new government, after [...]
As long as the Met is unable to police itself, it shouldn’t be fit to police Londoners either October 18, 2022 With our model of policing relying heavily on public consent, confidence is everything.
Political rivalry will keep Transport for London in eternal financial purgatory August 4, 2022 People who live and work in London know the city would grind to a halt without an efficient public transport network. Almost half of the country’s 22 million public transport journeys undertaken every day are in London. Just a quarter of Londoners use a car to get to work – elsewhere it is 70 per [...]
Johnson’s successor has a chance to rekindle the relationship with City Hall July 12, 2022 Transport Secretary Grant Shapps – now a contender to be the next prime minister – wrote to the Mayor three weeks ago regarding the future funding of Transport for London (TfL). His letter included a call to reset strained relations between City Hall and the government. Last week’s events were probably not quite the reset [...]
Transport for London’s haphazard funding model must now be made fit for the future June 22, 2022 SINCE the pandemic wiped out much of Transport for London’s fares income, London’s transport network has faced an existential crisis. The Elizabeth Line’s opening was a rare upbeat moment in a miserable couple of years of uncertainty for the city.
Sadiq Khan vs Boris Johnson: it’s time to reset the relationship between the Mayor and No10 September 2, 2021 Being Mayor of London is a powerful political role. Elected to office with the second biggest direct mandate in Europe after the President of France, your name is on the ballot of every single voter in the city, and you are a one-person executive. As a voice for London, with huge convening power, mayors can [...]
