Sadiq Khan accused of handing Ulez money to 'union mates' as Mayor bows to pressure

Sadiq Khan accused of handing Ulez money to 'union mates' as Mayor bows to pressure
Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 08/01/2024

- 10:40

Updated: 08/01/2024

- 11:17

Just minutes before the four-day walkout was set to begin, the RMT Union announced that it had suspended plans for a strike

Sadiq Khan has been accused of spending "one month's worth of Ulez money" in order to postpone this week's planned strike action on the underground.

Suggesting the Mayor is in the pocket of the unions, Susan Hall said Khan used the money to get his "union mates" to put off the walkout "until after the election".


Last night, Khan bowed to the rail unions, finding more money in the TfL budget to hand over a bumper pay packet to rail workers just minutes before their walkout began.

Just minutes before the four-day walkout was set to begin, the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union announced that it had suspended plans for the strike action.

Khan/Lynch

Sadiq Khan has been accused of spending "one month's worth of Ulez money" in order to postpone this week's planned strike action on the underground

PA

It is understood the Mayor of London spent the weekend talking to trade union leaders directly in an attempt to avert the strikes.

Hall told GB News: "All Sadiq Khan has done is spend one month's worth of ULEZ money to get his union mates to postpone their strikes until after the election.

"We need a Mayor who can stand up to the unions, not one who capitulates because he's terrified of losing the election.


"London deserves so much better and we can vote for it on 2 May."

A source close to the Mayor told the Telegraph the money had been found as part of the latest planning for the annual budget.

The budget will be published in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, former PM Boris Johnson accused the mayor of an "epic show of apathy".

He told the Telegraph: "Sadiq Khan’s epic show of apathy, and failure to deal with the unions, is only a foretaste of what the nation could expect under Labour."

But Khan hit out at the Government, accusing it of taking an "adversarial" approach to the unions.

He also said that he was "delighted" that the strikes have been suspended.

Khan continued: "They would have caused huge disruption for Londoners and would have been a major blow to the capital’s businesses at the worst possible time.

"The week of action would have cost our hospitality industry £50m alone.

“This shows what can be achieved by engaging and working with trade unions and transport staff, rather than working against them.

"In contrast, the adversarial approach taken by ministers has led to years of strikes across the country, whether on national rail, or in our health and education services - all exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis.

“The suspension of strikes is really good news as commuters return after the New Year.”

The London Mayor had refused to use new minimum service powers which were introduced by the Government last year.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch hailed "further positive discussions" with Khan's office, saying future pay talks can take place on an "improved basis".

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He said: "This significantly improved funding position means the scheduled strike action will be suspended with immediate effect and we look forward to getting into urgent negotiations with TfL in order to develop a suitable agreement and resolution to the dispute."

The Mayor's office has been contacted for comment.

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