The government continues to rollout initiatives to curb the growing crisis of childhood obesity as figures remain high, the latest Health Survey England (HSE) data shows.

Figures from the 2022 HSE report showed that more than one in four children were considered overweight or obese.

The prevalence of childhood obesity, including overweight, in the period covered was 28%, up slightly from 2016’s figure of 27%.

Since becoming Mayor of London nine years ago, Sadiq Khan has implemented many initiatives designed to improve childhood obesity, namely strengthening council powers to ban takeaways from opening near schools and restricting junk food adverts on the TfL (Transport for London) network.

A Mayor of London spokesperson said: “The mayor continues to take bold action to improve the health of children and tackle inequalities in the capital. 

“This includes his unprecedented funding for free school meals for all London’s state primary schoolchildren, which is ensuring young Londoners are offered a healthy meal at school each day. 

“In addition, Sadiq’s Healthy Schools and Early Years programmes are ing schools and nurseries to improve child health and wellbeing. 

“The mayor has also increased the number of water fountains in the capital, and encouraged primary and secondary schools to go water only to health and learning, as we build a healthier London for everyone.”

Moreover, schemes like the Labour government’s successful Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme are ing schools and nurseries to improve child health and wellbeing. 

The Mayor has provided funding for free school meals for all London’s state primary school children since 2023-24. 

More than 43million free school meals were funded in the first year of the scheme, with up to 287,000 children benefitting and families saving more than £1,000 per child over the first two years of the scheme. 

An independent evaluation of free school meals found that the scheme significantly improved the lives of children and their families across London.

This was done not only by alleviating financial pressures on households, but by positively influencing the health and wellbeing of children, and strengthening school communities as well.

The HSE report also revealed children aged 11-15 were more likely to be overweight, including obese, with 39% prevalence in 2019.

This figure dropped by 11% to 28% prevalence in 2022, while data for overweight including obese prevalence remained stable at 25% in 2019 and 26% in 2022.

In 2024, the National Child Measurement Program (NCMP) foundchildren living in more deprived areas were substantially more likely to be obese, with those in the most deprived being approximately twice as likely to be obese than those in the least deprived.

The 2022 report concluded those in those in the most deprived areas were most at risk of being overweight or obese.

Only 11% of children in the least deprived areas were considered obese, a figure which almost doubled in the most deprived areas where 21% of children were considered obese.

Amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, children in the most deprived areas of the UK are extremely susceptible to obesity and other conditions such as diabetes.

Diabetes UK are increasingly worried as National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) data shows type two diabetes is disproportionately affecting children living in deprived areas.

There is an alarming wealth disparity in the data, with four in 10 children and young people living with type two diabetes from the most deprived areas, compared to only one in 19 from the least deprived areas.

Almost four million children in the UK live in households which would struggle to afford to buy enough fruit, vegetables, fish and other healthy foods to meet official nutrition guidelines.

Diabetes UK chief executive Chris Askew OBE said: “The UK Government is letting our children down.

“We are facing a perfect storm which risks irreversible harm to the health of young people.”

Families in deprived areas are more likely to live in inadequate accommodation, and less able to afford healthy food, which means that they might not be able to prepare and cook healthy food at home. 

People in deprived areas are also less likely to have access to nearby outdoor green space and are more often targeted by adverts for unhealthy food.

Feature image credit: Free to use from Freepik

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Following a viral video showing an LA tech entrepreneur stuck in a driverless taxi, which continuously circles the same roundabout, residents of London may be excited or reluctant to know that driverless taxis could appear on UK roads as soon as 2026.

Self-driving taxi company Waymo currently leads the rapidly expanding industry, having already established services in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin and Phoenix, and with plans to expand their operations into Texas, Miami, Atlanta, Florida and Tokyo.

Having visited the States recently, Waymo vehicles are ubiquitous in the frenzy of San Francisco traffic, with the sensor adorned Jaguar E-PACE’s lining the city’s roads, despite the limited area of their sanctioned operation.

Whilst somewhat unsettling at first, the sight of an empty driver’s seat therefore swiftly became commonplace.

A Waymo spokesperson said: “Waymo has global aspirations but no immediate plans [to expand to the UK].

“Waymo is testing its technology internationally. 

“Waymo, in partnership with Nihon Kotsu and GO, will bring our autonomous vehicles to Tokyo for our first international road trip.”

The rapid expansion of Waymo has seen an unlikely partnership form, with their announcement in May 2023 of a link with former competitors Uber to facilitate their operations in Phoenix.

The partnership has since been expanded to encom Waymo’s operations in Austin and Atlanta.

This is particularly surprising as in 2018 the two companies engaged in a legal dispute regarding Uber’s alleged theft of trade secrets from Alphabet, Google’s parent company, in the hiring of former employee Anthony Levandowski. 

As part of the eventual settlement, Uber ensured Waymo’s hardware and software would not be incorporated in Uber’s systems and also agreed to pay out 0.34 percent of Uber’s equity, at a $72 billion valuation at the time of the agreement, to their former competitors.

Regarding the partnership, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, said: “Waymo’s mission is to be the world’s most trusted driver, and we’re excited to launch this expanded network and operations partnership with Uber in Austin and Atlanta to bring the benefits of fully autonomous driving to more riders.”

However, despite the company’s current success, the majority of the cities in which it operates contain strict grid road systems.

It begs the question: could such a service be established, and effectively function, in a sprawling historical metropolis such as London?

This is a city containing a road network resembling a spilt bowl of noodles rather than a neoclassical architectural sketch.

When asked how Waymo’s technology might adapt to UK-specific challenges, a spokesperson said: “During the Waymo Driver’s Tokyo road trip, it will learn and adapt to left-handed traffic and new driving nuances associated with operating in one of the world’s most densely populated urban environments.

“In addition to learning from road trips, Waymo takes an incremental approach to new cities. 

“Waymo uses a combination of supervised and unsupervised testing and phased availability, always guided by its safety framework, to ensure the Waymo Driver—our automated driving system—acclimates to a new environment.”

The potential pitfalls have not deterred UK government officials however, as the Automated Vehicles Act was ed on the 20 May 2024, under Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, allowing self-driving vehicles onto British roads by 2026. 

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Following Royal Assent of the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act, we are now preparing a suite of consultations which will enable the safe deployment of automated vehicle on our roads in 2027.

“The AV Act implementation timeline is designed to prioritise the development of a regulatory framework that maximises innovation, public safety and strengthens public confidence. 

“Alongside developing our domestic regulations, we are playing a leading role in work to harmonise international rules on self-driving, which will enable our companies to export globally. 

“This work is anticipated to complete in early 2027.

“Ahead of full implementation in 2027, we continue to work with industry to safe innovative trials that can improve regulatory and public understanding.”

Although the government website suggests the Automated Vehicle Act could lead to the creation of over 38,000 new jobs by 2035, the potential for mass layoffs is readily apparent.

According to Mondo, in 2024 Uber announced roughly 35% of its recruiters are set to experience layoffs in the near future, following on from several smaller rounds of layoffs across the company’s various departments last year.

Despite this however, London taxi drivers do not seem concerned.

London Cab Drivers Club chairman Grant Davis said: “I do not see autonomous vehicles as a threat to London taxis at all.

“It makes great copy, but its completely nonsensical in a town like London. 

“In the US roads are predominantly wider and straighter – look at a typical London taxi route, say Victoria Station to Vine Hill EC1. 

“It is bad enough for us cabbies, let alone an autonomous vehicle. 

“Maybe a flat journey up and down a motorway, but still I cannot see it.”

Davis also pointed to some further potential pitfalls.

He said: “Also for enger safety, what happens say late at night and some thieves stand in front of an AV whilst others open the doors and rob the engers?”

With regard to the Automated Vehicles Act, the government website states they are expected to improve road safety by reducing human error, which contributes to 88% of road collisions.

According to Waymo’s website, when considering all locations together, compared to the human benchmarks, the Waymo Driver achieved an 85% reduction in crashes involving any injury, from minor to severe and fatal cases plus a 57% reduction in police-reported crashes. 

But despite these positive figures, individual sentiments surrounding the services have been mixed, with the reported burning of a Waymo vehicle in San Francisco’s Chinatown last year.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters’, a labour union founded in 1903 and operating in the US and Canada, pressure California’s local governments to introduce further regulation at the start of last year.

On their website, the Teamsters cite a number of incidents involving automated taxis, including a Cruise vehicle running over a pedestrian, blocking first responders, and Cruise and Waymo vehicles collectively causing ‘mayhem in San Francisco’.

The road ahead for driverless taxis in the UK therefore remains uncertain. 

While the Autonomous Vehicle Act has laid the groundwork for their introduction by 2026, significant challenges evidently must be addressed – from adapting to London’s complex road network to ensuring enger security and gaining the public’s trust.

The contrasting views between government optimism and the scepticism of experienced taxi drivers highlight the balance which must be struck between innovation and practicality if autonomous taxis are to be deployed on UK roads.

As Waymo and other companies continue their global expansion, their success in navigating Tokyo’s left-hand traffic system could provide valuable insights into how these vehicles might eventually be integrated in the UK.

However, only time will tell whether autonomous taxis can truly revolutionise urban transport in cities such as London or if they’ll remain better suited to the grid-like structure of American metropolises.

Feature image credit: Waymo

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All pictures thanks to Reuters via Beat Media Group subscription

Pope Francis was laid to rest at Vatican City today, as thousands of mourners flooded St Peter’s Square to share in grief. 

Millions of viewers watched the two-and-a-half-hour service, as world leaders gathered in Rome to pay their respects to the 266th Pontiff who died on Easter Monday after a period of illness.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and Prince William were among attendees.

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A St Mary’s University student who never envisaged himself being involved in sport is aiming to inspire others at the Invictus Games in Canada.

Christopher Bryde served in the US Marine Corps for five years until his vehicle drove over a Taliban IED in Afghanistan and although the former turret gunner’s time in the armed forces ended there, his ion for service did not. 

Alongside his studies in Twickenham, the 36-year-old has dedicated himself to pursuing new sporting challenges, something he could not have imagined when he was growing up in Alaska.

Bryde, who is training at The Lensbury ahead of the Games from 8-16 February, said: “We were poor, we lived in a rural area.

“Our sports were hunting and fishing, which makes it kind of awkward because my father-in-law is [former Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday professional footballer] Ray Blackhall.

“I don’t know anything about that stuff, I don’t understand American football either. I’ll get involved, but [for me] it’s more about ing or helping with the community.”

It was this selfless mindset and tendency towards service which got Bryde involved in sport and the Invictus Games.

He said: “When I first started applying for [the Games], at the time my unit [Second Battalion, Seventh Marines Regiment] had the highest suicide rate of any American unit.

“We lost substantially more guys to suicide than we ever did to combat. 

“So myself and quite a few other leaders in our unit were trying to do different things and throw retreats.  I thought, maybe this will be another thing I can do to encourage people to not give up.”

Bryde has thrown himself into sporting life as a result and will compete in wheelchair rugby, indoor rowing, biathlon and swimming in February’s first-ever Winter Invictus Games, which are being held in Vancouver. 

He said: “The Marines were very focused on like service and all that sort of thing, but then after that’s over, it’s so intense in the Infantry Marine Corps that you can never really find that in the civilian world. 

“So it’s kind of hard to get latched on, which I think is probably part of the reason I do so many different things.”

In addition to sport, Bryde’s studies at St Mary’s University have seen him earn distinction in his Masters, get his PhD proposal approved (creative writing, under the umbrella of English Language and Literature), and is part of the wheelchair rugby team he started with rugby league coach Kevin Rudd.

He released his debut novel Upgunner in September, a semi-autobiographical work which follows the experience of protagonist Marine Corporal Brodie.

Bryde said: “I’d say there’s quite a bit of [the writing process] that wasn’t enjoyable.

“It took almost 16 years after the explosion to actually be able to finish it and work up the courage to publish it. 

“There were parts of it that were very difficult. I found that what worked for me is I started out by just writing the worst memories first, and then working from there.

“Then, over time, there was a certain amount of enjoyment because it became a thing where you’re taking a negative thing and you’re turning it into a positive thing. 

“Rather than before I hadn’t worked on it, it was just negative stuff. I talked to therapists and still they never really turned [the trauma] into anything positive.”

It was a therapeutic experience for the veteran, who grew more enthusiastic as he spoke. 

He said: “I absolutely encourage veterans or any victims of trauma to work on constructive writing.

“Not just writing something negative, but think about how can I make this into a positive thing?”

It is a mantra that Bryde doesn’t just leave on the page. 

Looking to the future he wants to lecture, inspired by the qualities of his lecturers at university. 

He said: “I’ve just been trying to figure out how to remain useful and give back, but also be useful in areas that I’m needed.”

“It’d be nice to lecture, at least part time. My lecturers at St. Mary’s in creative writing, they’re really excellent people, and I see them really as public servants.

“They really give back so much, so I’d like to do that, and hopefully some of that kind of thing on to future students.”

Despite his novel becoming Amazon number-one bestseller in the Afghan War History category, Bryde would like to pivot after he finishes the sequel. 

He said: “I’d like to write a fantasy novel someday. I’m a big Tolkien fan.

“I basically learned how to read because the Lord of the Rings movies were coming out, and I thought I needed to read the books before that, so I forced myself to sort of learn by reading those.

“I mean, I’m incredibly dyslexic. I didn’t really know how to read too well until I was about 14 and even then I’m pretty slow.” 

Before this, Bryde is set to make his Invictus Games debut. He hopes to medal at least in wheelchair rugby where he believes the team has a good chance.

This is not a one-time thing either as he already has his eyes on the summer tournament in Birmingham 2027.

Bryde said: “It’d be nice to get into that one and do some of the other sports and hopefully by then, I think I might be able to run again by that point.

“So it’d be nice to run at the Invictus Games and do that. 

“Even if I don’t win a medal, it’d be cool to do it. It might be the last time I ever run.”

The training has also been enjoyable. 

Bryde said: “Rowing is a great sport. If you can do it on the river, it’s a little bit nicer than in the gym. 

“The great thing about a sport like that is, sometimes I roll all the way up to Hampton Court Palace.

“It’s quite far, but you have to come back, so you’re forcing yourself to have more of a workout. So that’s a great sport that anyone can do, I’m fairly disabled and I do it well. 

“Wheelchair rugby, I think anyone should give that a try. It’s a good bit of fun and it’s always a really positive community.”

Over the course of the conversation it dawned on him that his previous claim that he is not a sporty guy is not really ringing true anymore. 

Even though he started training in order to inspire, it is also something he really enjoys. 

Bryde said: “It’s what I’ve got left with my life, to try and be a positive thing.

“I don’t necessarily need to work, so I’m trying to just do as much positive stuff as I can.”

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The UK woke today to a Labour government for the first time in 14 years, following a historic landslide defeat for the Conservative Party.

And that national picture was reflected across the capital, as Labour took 59 of the 75 available seats, with the Tories winning just nine.

It was also a good night for the Liberal Democrats, who doubled their seat tally in London to jump to six seats, as part of a wider national rise.

For more on all the big stories from the general election, both in London and beyond, read our e-edition below.

Featured image courtesy of Keir Starmer via Flickr

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There have been huge spikes in phone theft across the capital in the last two years, with an average of 250 phones being stolen per day in London according to Met Police data.

This rise is part of a troubling trend that contrasts sharply with the relatively stable crime rates the city experienced in the early 2010s.

Upon starting his third term, Sadiq Khan, who first took office in 2016, pledged a determined effort to address phone theft.

Specific crimes such as theft, shoplifting, and criminal damage have seen a sharper rise in the capital.

Post-pandemic, nearly 60,000 incidents of theft and shoplifting were reported in London in 2023 alone.

In response to these challenges, Khan launched a robust initiative known as the “gangbusters package,” aimed at protecting those most vulnerable to crimes like robbery and exploitation.

This package includes a £3 million investment in youth workers, targeting after-school hours to deter young people from engaging in criminal

Source: ONS Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables

Met Commander Owain Richards said: “We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims.

“It’s an invasive and sometimes violent crime and we’re committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.

“We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen phones to target offenders as we fight community crime. We are also working with phone firms to design out the ability for phones to be reused and sold on as we seek to dismantle the criminal market that fuels robbery.”

In the Metropolitan Police’s year-end statistics for 2022 to 2023, two distinct categories of mobile phone-related crimes emerge. The first, involving the forceful robbery of mobile phones, s for 10,485 recorded incidents.

The second, characterised by the non-violent theft of mobile phones directly from individuals, significantly higher in frequency, encomes 41,704 recorded incidents.

Robbery of phones involves the use of force, whereas theft refers to taking a mobile device without violence, like pickpocketing or grabbing it off a table.

Both crimes have become increasingly prevalent in the capital, however, thieves have become bolder when taking phones from victims.

The use of e-bikes to commit theft has become pervasive according to the Met Office.

In 2022 alone there were 14,953 phones stolen using e-bikes.

Multiple victims have discussed having their phones taken straight from their hands when walking down the street.

The perpetrator can easily snatch the phone out of the unsuspecting victim’s hand and ride off rapidly.

Speaking to a victim of theft she explained her experience of having her phone taken whilst she was walking home in Westminster, one of the boroughs of London which has experienced a severe increase in this kind of crime.

Sapphire (name changed), 25, explained: “It was 11:30 pm, I was leaving Oxford and Cambridge club and I was walking up St. James’s Street.

“I saw a group of boys all riding e-bikes.

“There were five or four other cyclists nearby. And they’re all like cycling in a big group.

“I was walking along phone in hand, and one of the cyclists came up behind me onto the pavement and just snatched my phone completely out of my hand.”

Sapphire described the group ‘goading’ her as she ran after them. She continued in pursuit, however, they quickly sped off.

When she reported it to the police, she said they lacked any channels that provided for her and despite the fact, that they could see the location of her phone using Apple’s ‘Find My Device’ feature they didn’t attempt to retrieve the device or apprehend those who had taken it.

She said she has received little to no subsequently and felt that she hadn’t been dealt with by the police in a way that helped her move forward after having her phone stolen.

The Met Police says 90,864 phones, or almost 250 a day, were stolen in 2022.

Of those more than 90,000 stolen phones, fewer than 2,000 were recovered – meaning that nearly 98% of people who had their phones stolen never saw them again.

The Met has not released statistics that can show comparatively the differences over the last couple of years but all eyes are on Khan to see how he will reduce phone theft in London during his third term.

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Deaths from drug poisoning in England and Wales have reached their highest level since data collection began, according to new analysis from the Office of National Statistics. 

The number of all drug related poisonings has more than doubled in that time frame, rising from 2,178 in 1993 to 4,907 in the most recent 2022 study of death certifications. 

A death is ruled a drug poisoning when it occurs as the result of exposure to prescription, illicit or over-the-counter drugs.

This also includes deaths from drugs misuse, when happen when a drug is not used along legal or medical guideline.

The age-standardised mortality rate from deaths due to drug poisoning, which adjusts the raw death figures for population size and age distribution, has risen every year since 2012.

If these trends are to be reversed, the natural next step is to identify the factors driving increased drug use. 

This might be easier said than done, as it is likely that several overlapping factors are all in-play at once, making it more difficult to disentangle them.

On the possible explanations, author of the original ONS statistical bulletin Paul Breen said: “There’s a number of things which it could be.

“The people that we’re seeing the highest rates of death in are getting older.

“So it could be a case that as they age they are less able to survive the effects of the drugs.

“It could also be the cumulative effect of many years of drug taking.”

If age is the most important factor the rise in deaths, it is hoped that mortality rates could fall as older generations are replaced by cohorts less likely to use drugs. 

Were this the case, then drug deaths may reach a natural peak in the short-to-medium term, although this would require keeping drug use from penetrating into younger generations.

Regarding the origins of Generation X’s struggles with substance use, Breen said: “People born from 1965 to 1985 have always had the highest death rates.

“They’ve had the highest rates since they were in their 20s and now they’re in their 50s. 

“Again it’s difficult to say why, but it tends to be higher in more deprived areas, and these are people who grew up around the time that they became deprived, in post industrial areas and sea-side towns destroyed by international flights.”

Trouble on the Horizon

The ‘natural peak’ hypothesis rests on the assumption that younger generations will not emulate the habits of their predecessors.

Unfortunately, there are worrying signs that this might not be the case.

Deaths rates in these groups, while not as high as Gen X, have also risen across the board. 

One potential reason for this is a concerning movement among drug s towards using multiple substances at once, also known as poly-drug use.

Most commonly, fatal effects result from a combination of prescription anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines or gabapentinoids, and opiates. 

The average number of drugs mentioned on a death certificate has risen from 1.4-1.5 between 1993-2011, to two drugs per death in 2022. 

While it may seem insignificant, the presence of even a single additional substance can raise the associated risks substantially. 

Zooming in

In the capital, the picture is slightly less clear, as the total number of drug-poisoning deaths peaked in London at 555 in 1998. 

However, there are still reasons to worry.

Nearly two decades of steady decline ended in 2012, after which deaths from a number of substances have climbed back into the range of their mid-90s peaks. 

The burdens of drug-use and its associated harms are not evenly distributed between London’s boroughs.

Age-standardised mortality rates are highest in Hammersmith and Fulham, where 12.1 people per 100,000 population died from drug-related poisonings in 2022. 

Conversely, the lowest rate is to be found in Barnet at only 1.6, while Harrow and Merton are only marginally higher at 1.7 per 100,000 people.

Solving a Silent Crisis 

Given the scale of the issue, it seems that any successful intervention would have to be coordinated from the very highest levels of government.

Yet Dr Mohammed Al-Saidi, London clinical lead for addiction charity Turning Point, says there seems to be a lack of appetite from the general public and their representatives to make meaningful changes. 

He said: “Politicians need to put it first on the agenda, how to protect the public from harm.

“But with so much complexity in the world that they don’t see this as a major problem, which is very sad really. 

“We cannot force politicians to think, but we can make enough noise to get them to do something because we cannot continue doing this.”

Beyond using education to overcome public apathy, there is a growing push for more concrete policy changes in this field. 

A July 2023 report from the Home Office Affairs Committee found that the government’s existing 10-Year Drugs Strategy is unlikely to have a meaningful impact in reducing drug deaths.

Instead, it argued that existing drug classifications were outdated and in need of reform so that the controlled substances are prohibited to a degree more in line with their actual societal harm.

As well as this, it called for a move away from criminal sanctions for low level offending and towards diversionary measures, coupled with a range of harm reduction provisions aimed at protecting public health.

One example of this would be supervised consumption facilities and drug checking services. 

On the need for a change in attitude towards drug policy, Home Affairs Committee chair, Dame Diana Johnson, said: “Fundamentally, we need to have the right interventions in place to help people break free from the terrible cycles of addiction and criminality that drug addiction can cause.

“Simply attempting to remove drugs from people’s lives hasn’t worked.”

If you struggling with substance abuse, in person can be found on the Turning Point website.

Feature image courtesy of Matthew T Rader under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

Inset image courtesy of the Drugs Enforcement Agency

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The 2024 London Mayoral Elections are only three months away, so here’s our guide to the candidates for the May 2nd election:

Sadiq Khan (Labour) 3c5t3b

Formerly MP for Tooting from 2005-2016, Khan first attained office in 2016 when he succeeded Boris Johnson.

He’ll be hoping to make history this year by becoming the first politician to serve as the capital’s mayor for three .

Khan won his second term in the delayed 2021 London Mayoral Election with 40% of first preference votes, consequently winning 55% of votes in a run-off against his Conservative counterpart Shaun Bailey, now Baron Bailey of Paddington.

Key policies introduced by Khan as Mayor include expanding rough-sleeping services, the Hopper fare, the Night Tube, and the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), with the Elizabeth Line also having been delivered during his tenure.

He has also pledged to £15m in funding for domestic abuse groups.

Khan has also served as a Minister of State for Transport under the government of Gordon Brown and before entering politics, worked as a human rights lawyer.

Susan Hall (Conservative) m7362

Serving as the Conservative candidate, Hall will seek to overturn Labour’s recent mayoral dominance and become not only the first Conservative candidate to be elected mayor since Boris Johnson in 2012 but also the first woman to be Mayor of London.

She has been a member of the London Assembly since 2017 and a councillor for Harrow London Borough Council since 2006.

If elected, Hall is pledging to scrap the ULEZ Outer London expansion proposed by Khan while also promising to invest £200 million into the Metropolitan Police.

Hall has previously been criticised for claiming to have had her wallet stolen while riding the Tube, only for it to be returned to her by a Good Samaritan, belongings intact.

Challenged by Nick Ferrari on LBC, the Conservative candidate reiterated her version of events.

She said: ”I’m claiming I lost my wallet. I had assumed I had been pickpocketed.

“For all I know, I still was.

“I genuinely do not know.”

Zoë Garbett (Green Party) 4js1k

Garbett has been a councillor for Dalston ward on Hackney London Borough Council since 2022, and was also a mayoral candidate for Hackney in the same year, finishing as runner-up with 17.0% of the vote.

She has received the endorsements of the Green Party’s only MP Caroline Lucas, as well as London Assembly member and 2021 Green Party candidate Sian Berry, in her bid to become the capital’s first Green mayor.

Garbett has pledged to address London’s housing market by introducing a Rent Commission to set a target level for rents across the city as well as a two-year rent freeze.

She has also promised to pause and review the use of facial recognition by the Metropolitan Police, as well as increase the number of public toilets available on public transport.

Rob Blackie (Liberal Democrats) e563b

Liberal Democrat candidate Blackie has criticised the Metropolitan Police for supposedly over-focusing on low-level offences and has pledged to shift the police’s priorities toward tackling violent and sexual offences.

He has also pledged to deliver cleaner rivers, more solar s and better transport links for outer London.

Blackie currently works in digital marketing, and is also an anti-Brexit campaigner.

Howard Cox (Reform UK) 3j4j5r

A prominent anti-ULEZ campaigner and founder of fossil fuel campaign group FairFuelUk, Cox is running as the candidate for Reform UK, previously known as the Brexit Party.

Upon election, Cox is promising to remove ULEZ, phase out low traffic neighbourhoods and reduce 20mph speed limits, as well as increase the number of police officers on the beat.

Shyam Batra (Independent) 3m3m3d

A finance broker, Batra announced his candidacy as an independent in January 2024.

He has outlined his desire to abolish ULEZ, congestion zone, and 20mph speed limits but according to LBC, is barred from being a company director and believes aliens ‘have been here for a long time‘.

Natalie Campbell (Independent) 6j2k30

Formerly long-listed for the Conservative candidacy, the CEO and university chancellor is running as an independent.

She had previously voiced opposition to the expansion of the ULEZ, but stated that if elected, she would only reverse the scheme if it were cost-effective.

Campbell has also pledged to introduce an extension to the Bakerloo line.

Serge Crowbolder (Independent) 5166g

Islington resident and deliveryman Serge Crowbolder has stated that he would lobby the government to reduce rents, found an e-democracy platform and supply solar s and heat pumps to every home.

He has also expressed interest in commissioning a feasibility study into the building of a dam between Essex and Kent.

Amy Gallagher (Social Democratic Party) 16l3a

The candidate for the Social Democratic Party, Gallagher has pledged free transport for under-25s and to ”push back on woke ideology”.

She is currently a nurse and has pursued legal action against the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust over alleged discrimination.

George Galloway (Workers Party of Britain) 731050

Currently the bookmakers’ favourite to become MP for Rochdale in the Rochdale by-election following the death of incumbent and Labour MP Sir Tony Lloyd, Galloway announced his candidacy for London mayor in December 2023.

He previously contested the 2016 London Mayoral Election and finished having seventh with 37,007 first preference votes (1.4%).

Galloway is the leader of the Workers Party of Britain, and has previously served as Labour MP for the now abolished Glasgow Kelvin constituency from 1987-2005, formerly Glasgow Hillshead, as well as MP for Bethnal Green and Bow and Bradford West under the banner of the Respect Party.

Tarun Ghulati (Independent) 2s2f4b

An independent candidate currently working as an investment banker, Gulati declared his candidacy in November 2023.

His proposed policies include scrapping ULEZ, removing the congestion charge for weekends and holidays, and abolishing 20mph speed limit zones and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

Ghulati has also pledged to focus on affordable housing and re-opening police stations in areas with high crime rates.

Rayhan Haque (Independent) 6r5i12

Formerly a member of the Labour Party until 2019, Haque has stated that he would increase for cyclists and explore car-free days similar to those used in Paris.

He has also outlined his intention to create an academy to teach Londoners about artificial intelligence in a bid to ”sur what San Francisco is doing”.

Andreas Michli (Independent) 1r6y33

Currently the owner of a gym, Michli is promising to abolish ULEZ, low-traffic neighbourhoods, the congestion charge, and the target for net zero emissions, if elected.

He has also outlined his intent for police officers to be trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu up to blue belt, as well as receiving legal training comparable to solicitors.

Michli has also promised to provide London residents with free gym hips if elected, and has previously said that he had been ”radicalised by lockdown”.

Count Binface has also expressed interest in standing but at time of writing is currently some way short of the £10,000 deposit needed to run.

The 2024 London Mayoral Elections will be the first to be conducted using the first-past-the-post system and will be running simultaneously alongside the elections for the London Assembly.

To vote in the next Mayor of London and London Assembly elections, you must be ed to vote, live in London, be at least 18 years old on the day of the elections and either be a British citizen, a European citizen or a Commonwealth citizen who has or does not require leave to remain in the UK.

You must also be able to show photo ID, and more information on this can be found here.

Cover photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

The post Who are the candidates for the 2024 London Mayoral election? appeared first on South West Londoner.

The winter edition of our Londoners magazine is here.

Check out the story behind the Christmas magicians turning homes into Winter Wonderlands, and see what is being done in the next step to tackle men’s mental health.

We get the lowdown on the situationship epidemic and find out just why are more people living on narrowboats?

There’s also an exploration of life in your twenties – comparing the experience of Gen Z today with that of previous generations.

We ask has the respect gone from football and look into the rise of women-only gyms and of women’s rugby.

And, in the reviews section, find out what we thought of A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic, Rapunzel at Theatre Peckham, ice skating at Somerset House and the Christmas lights trail at Eltham Palace.

Click on the picture below to read the magazine.

The post Londoners Winter magazine including the situationship epidemic, women-only gyms and A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic appeared first on South West Londoner.

Autumn Statement NHS cuts of £3.4 billion were criticised by the Liberal Democrats, whilst the Chancellor slashed taxes to banks.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced the Treasury’s plans for the economy, including state pensions increase, National Insurance cuts and OBR forecasts.

Hunt also pledged the largest ever minimum wage increase, an additional 10% levy on hand-rolled tobacco, and a continued freeze on alcohol duty.

Largest ever minimum wage increase 1h3811

The Chancellor’s newly announced plans will now see 21 and 22 year olds earning the same minimum wage as those 23 and over: £11.44 from April 2024.

Twickenham MP Munira Wilson said: “Any increase in the minimum wage is welcome, but the Government is giving back just a tiny share of what it’s taken away through its economic mismanagement.

“They left inflation raging on, squeezing people’s pay by hundreds of pounds.

“And they raised taxes on hard-working people, hitting them during a cost-of-living crisis.

“People on low incomes would have been much better off without this Government’s economic mismanagement.”

700,000 disabled people set to work xw23

On those who are disabled and receive benefits without work search requirements, the Chancellor said: “That waste is wrong economically, and wrong morally.”

These people will now be pushed towards working from home and getting treatment: a policy forecasted to get nearly 700,000 more people employed and increase growth.

Munira Wilson MP further condemned Hunt’s Autumn Statement NHS and social care content: “Worse still was the deafening silence on health.

“These dismal forecasts show the economy is on life and reducing NHS waiting lists is the shot in the arm needed.”

Government pressure towards those with health conditions to get treatment and back into the workforce comes at an arguably hypocritical time of increasing NHS waiting lists.

During 13 years of Conservative government, NHS waiting lists median length in England has increased from 5.5 weeks in May 2010 to 14.7 in October 2023.

Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, Sarah Olney MP said: “It is a no-brainer that we need people off waiting lists and back to work, yet this Conservative government simply doesn’t care.

“(The Autumn Statement) has been more stale nonsense from a Conservative government out of touch and out of ideas.”

The biggest business tax cut in modern British history 2s6cr

Hunt dubbed the economic plans ‘the biggest business tax cut in modern British history’, which include £3.8bn real tax cut to banks.

The cuts have largely been ed by high inflation sneakily decreasing the real bands at which people pay tax, increasing government revenue.

Olney said: “This is a deception from Jeremy Hunt after years of cruel tax hikes on hard-working families from this government.

“After years of Conservative chaos sending mortgage and tax bills soaring, today’s announcements won’t even touch the sides.

“It beggars belief that this Conservative government is slashing funding for the NHS while giving billions of pounds of tax giveaways to the banks. It just shows they have got their priorities completely wrong.”

Pensions up, national insurance down 1m1l4m

National Insurance payments by employees will reduce by 2% from 12% to 10% from 6 January.

With a 8.5% increase to full state pensions from April, the government is massively ing pensioners – a group which is on average more conservative.

This may suggest the Conservatives are pandering policy to their voter base and reducing taxes soon because they plan to call the next general election early next year.

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