The mayor also hit out at Shaun Bailey for his "lies and smears" - and issued a plea to Green voters.

As Londoners head to the polls today to vote in the sixth mayoral and London Assembly elections since the Greater London Authority (GLA) was established, mayor Sadiq Khan says he will do ‘everything within his power’ to prevent any attempt by Boris Johnson to axe the body.

In an exclusive interview with Left Foot Forward, the mayor discussed his fears over the future of City Hall as well as the ‘lies’ and smears of Conservative mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey – and why those thinking of going Green should vote for him today.

If the Conservatives decide to abolish the GLA, it wouldn’t be the first time that the party has undermined devolution within the city. In 1986 the Tories disbanded the Greater London Council (GLC) after its former leader, Ken Livingston, found himself in direct conflict with the Thatcher government over his high spend policies.

Although Boris Johnson has made no secret of his desire to slash spending across the GLA even whilst serving as mayor himself, Khan said any attempt to axe the GLA itself would be a deeply cynical move and a “monumental error.”

He said: “We need to get away from the idea that ‘Whitehall knows best.’ Those aren’t my words, they’re from the 2019 Tory manifesto. It is increasingly clear that the absence of a city-wide government in our capital – after the Tories had abolished the GLC – was a huge mistake.

“The Mayoralty has been a big success for London and what is right for London is right for the rest of the country. What we need is more, not less, devolution to London and other English cities and regions.”

The mayor also made a last-ditch plea to voters thinking of going Green, warning that the election for London mayor was a two-horse race and that he was the only Green candidate that can win.

In recent weeks, Green party co-leader and mayoral candidate Sian Berry has said she is confident that Labour voters will vote Green in the upcoming elections to send a message to Keir Starmer. In response to Khan’s comments she told LFF: “I will not give anyone any negative reasons to vote out of fear. Londoners have the choice to vote for something hugely positive in this election. More and more people are choosing real change and backing the Greens. If you want Green, you can vote Green.”

Khan however believes a vote for anyone other than Labour risks letting the Tories in. 

He said: “I want every Londoner who has voted Green or Lib Dem in the past to understand that a vote for any candidate other than me in this election only increases the chances that the Tory candidate will win.

“The truth is, I respect Sian Berry. We share many of the same liberal values and both have ambitious plans to tackle climate change. I voted by post and have given her my second preference this time around but I am calling on all Green Party voters to lend me their first preference vote to ensure we stop the Conservative candidate from being elected.

“Boris Johnson’s Tory candidate is a Covid sceptic who is openly hostile to ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone). As well as wanting a car-led recovery he has said awful things about women, girls, working class communities and multiculturalism.

“As we rebuild our economy after Covid-19, we need to make clear that a strong recovery and a ‘green recovery’ are not mutually exclusive.”

The mayor was keen to emphasis his achievement in introducing the world’s first 24 hour Ultra Low Emission Zone in London, a policy he credits for reducing toxic air pollution by more than a third in central London and which he has pledged to expand into the North and South Circular zones of the capital.

Yet despite talking up his Green credentials, the mayor has faced criticism for backing the Silvertown Tunnel project. Sian Berry has pledged to stop the construction of the tunnel which she says will cost £2 billion and lead to greater levels of congestion and air pollution. The tunnel, which will open in 2025, will connect the Greenwich Peninsula and west Silvertown.

Khan remains adamant however that the Silvertown Tunnel is the only alternative in helping to reduce the poor air quality and high levels of congestion caused in the south east of the city by the Blackwall Tunnel. “Silvertown will use the proceeds of a user charge in both the Blackwall Tunnel and the Silvertown Tunnel to cover construction costs. It will also run a new, low emission and reliable bus service across the river in that part of London,” he told LFF.

Throughout the mayoral campaign Khan has repeatedly clashed with Bailey, clashes that have got personal at times with the mayor choosing not to hold back this time either.

He condemned Bailey’s campaign for using smears and telling ‘lies’ about both him and the city.

“They have been dishonest about TfL’s financial challenges – caused solely by the pandemic – and have been disingenuous about the Congestion Charge hike and restrictions on concessions that they forced on Londoners,” he said.

“Their candidate has resorted to using fantasy figures to support his policies with no realistic plan for delivery – he simply can’t be trusted to deliver for London.  

“I hope that Londoners are able to see through their underhand tactics for what they are but I know it will be a tight race – there is absolutely no room for complacency and every vote will count.”

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