Sadiq Khan accused of ‘political games’ after ordering the Met to reverse plans to close a police station in Boris Johnson’s former Uxbridge seat just weeks before by-election
- Local voters will choose a new MP to replace Boris Johnson on July 20
Sadiq Khan has been accused of playing ‘political games’ after the London mayor intervened to save Uxbridge police station just weeks before a crunch by-election.
The potential closure of the police station in the west London town had been a key issue for local voters in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.
They are due to elect a new MP on 20 July after the seat was vacated by former prime minister Boris Johnson last month.
Labour have high hopes of winning the constituency off the Tories and the party has now seen a major issue resolved before polling day thanks to Mr Khan’s actions.
The London mayor, in a letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, said that under-threat Uxbridge police station should now remain open.
Sadiq Khan, in a letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, said that under-threat Uxbridge police station should now remain open
Boris Johnson, pictured at Uxbridge police station in December 2021, had been campaigning for it to remain open before he quit as the local MP
Susan Hall, a Tory member of the London Assembly who is campaigning to be her party’s candidate in next year’s mayoral election, accused Mr Khan of ‘political games’
Mr Khan said that he had listened to the concerns of local residents and that it was in the best interests of the community for the station to remain open.
The Labour politician said that there was a ‘strong’ case for retaining stations across London, after the highly critical review of the Met by Baroness Louise Casey.
‘Huge Government cuts over the last decade have forced the Met to make extremely difficult decisions about where they allocate resources,’ he said.
‘I’m proud that thanks to our extra investment from City Hall we’re once again restoring neighbourhood policing to our local communities.
‘And I’ve also been listening to local residents and campaigners in places like Uxbridge who have been telling me how having a local police station in their area makes them feel much safer.
‘As we continue to rebuild neighbourhood policing and restore confidence after the Casey Review, I’ve written to the Met Commissioner saying that the case for now retaining more police station sites across the capital is strong, and would be an important part of our work ensuring the force delivers everything that Londoners need and expect.’
Susan Hall, a Tory member of the London Assembly who is campaigning to be her party’s candidate to take on Mr Khan in next year’s mayoral election, lashed out at Mr Khan.
‘The Met Police is not a toy that Sadiq Khan can use for his political games,’ she said.
‘Residents in Uxbridge are seriously concerned about his appalling decision to close the station, and he has now U-turned only because his disastrous ULEZ expansion is threatening Labour’s prospects of winning the by-election.’
Ms Hall called on local voters to ‘send a message’ to the London mayor by backing Tory candidate Steve Tuckwell in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip contest this month.
She added: If I am elected Mayor of London, all of my decisions will be in the best interests of Londoners, unlike Sadiq Khan who only thinks about himself.’
After quitting Downing Street last summer, Mr Johnson used an appearance in the House of Commons to demand Mr Khan save Uxbridge police station.
He told MPs that Uxbridge remained ‘the most sensible place’ for a police station in the local borough.
The ex-PM also filmed a video outside Uxbridge police station last month, before standing down as the local MP, in which he implored Mr Khan to ‘end the uncertainty’.
Labour’s by-election candidate Danny Beales said he was ‘delighted’ with the decision to keep the police station open.
‘Today’s success clearly shows what we can achieve when we work together,’ he said.
‘This is just the start of what I want to deliver as a strong, local voice for the people of Uxbridge & South Ruislip.’
