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What good has Sadiq Khan done for London?

I’ll be happy to hear anything and everything he’s done since he’s been Mayor.

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Reply 1
Photo ops, lots and lots of photo ops :biggrin:
No idea. But then I could say the same for Boris Johnson or Ken Livingston.

I don't think putting bikes on the street would be deemed a major highlight.

Maybe in our clamour to see our politicians do big bold things everyone has heard of, we forget that administration is often about small changes and keeping things ticking over. So perhaps the question to be asked isn't "What has he done?" but instead:
Did London grind to a halt?
Is there major civil unrest in London?
Is London still a good place to do business?
Do people still want to live and work in London?

If the answer to questions like this are no, then perhaps he has actually done a good job.

Anyone can grandstand. Remember Tony Blair's stupid decision to continue building the Tories Millennium Dome? Anyone can build stuff. If it keeping things kicking over that is often challenging.
Reply 3
Original post by ByEeek
No idea. But then I could say the same for Boris Johnson or Ken Livingston.

I don't think putting bikes on the street would be deemed a major highlight.

Maybe in our clamour to see our politicians do big bold things everyone has heard of, we forget that administration is often about small changes and keeping things ticking over. So perhaps the question to be asked isn't "What has he done?" but instead:
Did London grind to a halt?
Is there major civil unrest in London?
Is London still a good place to do business?
Do people still want to live and work in London?

If the answer to questions like this are no, then perhaps he has actually done a good job.

Anyone can grandstand. Remember Tony Blair's stupid decision to continue building the Tories Millennium Dome? Anyone can build stuff. If it keeping things kicking over that is often challenging.

Why not? In terms of trying to get people to be (vaguely) fitter and not use cars in the city it was quite good, no?

Equally, who really "wants" to live in London as opposed to have to? Having the central line and oxford street being more inflicted on people than enjoyed.
Original post by Napp
Why not? In terms of trying to get people to be (vaguely) fitter and not use cars in the city it was quite good, no?

Equally, who really "wants" to live in London as opposed to have to? Having the central line and oxford street being more inflicted on people than enjoyed.

Well sure. If getting people fit is the measure, then please show me the stats that show Londoners are getting fitter and the amount of traffic in central London is going down. You will struggle, simply because that is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Making people more healthy is really hard and difficult to measure. Installing iconic bicycles that a tiny minority of people use - that is really easy.

In Factfullness I mentioned, midwifes in Africa were asked what they needed above all else. Torches was the answer given - to enable them to get to their patients at night. Meanwhile - the local politician is going full steam on building a hospital that most people can't get to because they only have their bare feet as a means of travel. But hey - it is being seen to be doing something.

I think people do want to live and work in London. It attracts higher pay and more opportunity if you motivated by that sort of thing. Not my bag but I understand those who are attracted by the London life.
Reply 5
Original post by ByEeek
Well sure. If getting people fit is the measure, then please show me the stats that show Londoners are getting fitter and the amount of traffic in central London is going down. You will struggle, simply because that is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Making people more healthy is really hard and difficult to measure. Installing iconic bicycles that a tiny minority of people use - that is really easy.

In Factfullness I mentioned, midwifes in Africa were asked what they needed above all else. Torches was the answer given - to enable them to get to their patients at night. Meanwhile - the local politician is going full steam on building a hospital that most people can't get to because they only have their bare feet as a means of travel. But hey - it is being seen to be doing something.

I think people do want to live and work in London. It attracts higher pay and more opportunity if you motivated by that sort of thing. Not my bag but I understand those who are attracted by the London life.

What are you trying to argue exactly, that cycling is bad for you? People use them (and hardly only the handful you say) ergo it can be considered a success. Maybe not a watershed moment or some cataclysmic one but a success nevertheless. One which is rather hard to say is bad as well.

I'm not sure what poor africans not having electricity has to do with this sorry?

So far you've given two ancillary reasons that happen to force people to london, thats very different from making it actively desirable. After all, if any other city commanded the jobs and wages then London would start to fall back - as countless governments have recognised as a serious problem, the black hole of London as it were.
Indeed to the last bit though and to each their own.
Original post by Napp
What are you trying to argue exactly, that cycling is bad for you? People use them (and hardly only the handful you say) ergo it can be considered a success. Maybe not a watershed moment or some cataclysmic one but a success nevertheless. One which is rather hard to say is bad as well.

I'm not sure what poor africans not having electricity has to do with this sorry?

So far you've given two ancillary reasons that happen to force people to london, thats very different from making it actively desirable. After all, if any other city commanded the jobs and wages then London would start to fall back - as countless governments have recognised as a serious problem, the black hole of London as it were.
Indeed to the last bit though and to each their own.

What am I trying to argue?

That anyone can build "stuff" but making actual change for the better is really hard.

I have cited two examples:
1. Boris bikes were easy to install but are unlikely to have had much impact on the health of Londoners.
2. Hospitals are easy to build in some parts of Africa but the money could have a bigger impact if spent better.

In both cases, the smart solution would not have provided a concrete "thing" for the leader in charge to say "I did this"
Original post by ByEeek
What am I trying to argue?

That anyone can build "stuff" but making actual change for the better is really hard.

I have cited two examples:
1. Boris bikes were easy to install but are unlikely to have had much impact on the health of Londoners.
2. Hospitals are easy to build in some parts of Africa but the money could have a bigger impact if spent better.

In both cases, the smart solution would not have provided a concrete "thing" for the leader in charge to say "I did this"

Boris bikes do not cover large parts of London. There are none for example that could be used across Hampstead Heath or Wimbledon Common, where there are no cars and buses make a long detour. They are heavy and so not suitable for everyone.
Original post by barnetlad
Boris bikes do not cover large parts of London. There are none for example that could be used across Hampstead Heath or Wimbledon Common, where there are no cars and buses make a long detour. They are heavy and so not suitable for everyone.

Quite.
Reply 9
Original post by barnetlad
Boris bikes do not cover large parts of London. There are none for example that could be used across Hampstead Heath or Wimbledon Common, where there are no cars and buses make a long detour. They are heavy and so not suitable for everyone.

In fairness, they were never really designed to. They're meant for the city and proximate borough not to be able to cycle from Westminster to Ealing on.

Then again, now we have electric scooters.. much more fun :biggrin:
Original post by Occitanie
I’ll be happy to hear anything and everything he’s done since he’s been Mayor.


He's overseeing a significant increase in crime.
Reply 11
Original post by Gundabad(good)
He's overseeing a significant increase in crime.

What do you mean by ‘overseeing’. Just watching it?
Original post by Occitanie
What do you mean by ‘overseeing’. Just watching it?

Yes, watching it.
Just off the top of my head:

Bankrupted TfL.
Cut policing costs while staff costs rise by 83%
Crime up by a third overall.
52% rise in homicides.
52% rise in knife crime.
59% rise in robbery.
17% rise in burglary.
Sat and watched with Cressida as all respect for the Metropolitan police has been eradicated.
Turned London into a maze of cycle lanes, while reducing tube services.
Encouraging people into the city while increasing the congestion charge.

Sadiq has played an absolute blinder. Labour sheep will still vote him back in though.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by imlikeahermit
52% rise in homicides.
52% rise in knife crime.
59% rise in robbery.
17% rise in burglary.

This, again?

Can you name an example of anything Khan could have done to prevent the rise of crime? Last time I asked you mentioned something that he actually did do.
Original post by SHallowvale
This, again?

Can you name an example of anything Khan could have done to prevent the rise of crime? Last time I asked you mentioned something that he actually did do.

This again...

Somehow the stats I’ve posted above, are not Sadiq’s fault, according to you?
Original post by imlikeahermit
This again...

Somehow the stats I’ve posted above, are not Sadiq’s fault, according to you?

They are if there is something he did to cause them, or if there is something he could have done to prevent them but neglected to do.

Correlation =/= Causation.
Reply 17
Can anyone?
Original post by Occitanie
Can anyone?

Made it more diverse. If it's anything good.
He has done nothing of value

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