Susan Hall mounts last

Release time：2024-05-22 10:47:48 Source：Culture Capsule news portal

Tory candidate Susan Hall today launched a last-ditch bid to close the gap on Labour's Sadiq Khan ahead of next week's London mayoral election.

A recent poll showed Mr Khan is set for an historic third term in City Hall with the Labour politician holding a 19-point lead over his Tory rival ahead of the 2 May vote.

But Ms Hall mounted a fresh effort to overhaul the incumbent Labour mayor this morning as she released a 27-page manifesto.

She vowed to 'fix' the capital following Mr Khan's eight-year spell in charge with a five-point action plan.

This included scrapping the capital's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), boosting police numbers, building more family homes, stopping the 'war on motorists', and providing a 'realistic' path to Net Zero.

But Labour sniped there was a £500million black hole in Ms Hall's spending plans.

Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall has launched a last-ditch bid to close the gap on Labour's Sadiq Khan

A recent poll showed Mr Khan is set for an historic third term in City Hall with the Labour politician holding a 19-point lead over his Tory rival ahead of the 2 May vote

Ms Hall vowed to 'fix' the capital following Mr Khan's eight-year spell in charge with a five-point action plan, which included scrapping the capital's Ultra Low Emission Zone

As she outlined her five priorities as mayor, Ms Hall added: 'It breaks my heart to see London decline, as I am sure it does yours. I am determined to fix it. And together, we can.'

Ms Hall's campaign launched a new attack advert against Mr Khan ahead of next week's mayoral election

As she unveiled her manifesto, Ms Hall said: 'For eight years, we've had a mayor who won't listen. It is time we changed that.

'I have been listening to you. You have shared your worries, your beliefs, and your dreams. And I hear you.

'Crime is too high and needs to be brought under control. Family homes are unaffordable and more need to be built.

'The ULEZ expansion is unfair and needs to be scrapped on day one.'

As she outlined her five priorities as mayor, Ms Hall added: 'It breaks my heart to see London decline, as I am sure it does yours. I am determined to fix it. And together, we can.'

If she wins next week's mayoral election, Ms Hall pledged to recruit 1,500 more police officers in the capital and set up two police bases in every London borough.

She also promised to scrap the ULEZ expansion to all London boroughs 'on day one' and ensure 'pay-per-mile' road charging - which Mr Khan has strenuously denied he is planning - is 'cancelled'.

Ms Hall vowed to build more high-density, low-rise homes in the capital and to 'get London moving' by extending the Night Tube and helping communities to remove 'unwanted' Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) and 20mph zones.

Under plans to 'promote more green choices for Londoners', Ms Hall said she would increase the number of electric vehicle charging points, expand tree planding and take 'targeted action to reduce air pollution'.

But Labour claimed Ms Hall has a £500million black hole in her spending plans.

Shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth said her proposals were 'straight out of the Liz Truss playbook – reckless, irresponsible and uncosted' and would leave Londoners facing cuts in services or hikes in council tax and travel fares.

Analysis by Labour claimed policies announced by the Tory candidate would cost £598million and save only £83million, leaving a £515million shortfall.

Among the highest-cost plans announced by Ms Hall were a £200million investment in the Met Police, another £110million on returning the Met to a borough-based structure, and £180million on scrapping ULEZ, according to the Labour analysis.

Labour also criticised Ms Hall's proposals for saving money, saying estimates for savings from abolishing some Transport for London passes were 'not realistic' and changes to TfL's pension scheme would not be possible until at least 2026.

They added that plans to tackle waste at City Hall lacked detail.

Labour said the shortfall would require a council tax increase equivalent to almost £200 for a band D property, or mean cuts to other services and increases to TfL fares.

Mr Ashworth said: 'Londoners can't afford this latest version of Trussonomics to be implemented in the capital.

'Susan Hall's proposals are the most irresponsible set of plans from any major party candidate in the history of the mayoralty.'

A spokesperson for Ms Hall said: 'This is desperate stuff from Sadiq Khan's campaign.

'Susan's commitments are fully costed and accounted for, much of which will be covered by cutting the ridiculous amount of waste in City Hall and TfL.

'By contrast, Sadiq Khan's manifesto has around a billion pounds worth of pledges, with no explanation at all as to how he is going to pay for them, and which could only be paid for by cutting police funding and bringing in pay-per-mile.'

Mr Khan has previously said he has ruled out bringing in pay-per-mile road charging in London.

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