Sadiq Khan needs to get a grip of the strikes crisis or make way for someone who will, writes Susan Hall

These strikes are some of the worst industrial action we've seen in years, threatening to paralyse our capital at a time when London should be thriving. Already, events like Coldplay's concerts have had to be rescheduled - after having previously also been targeted by the unions. Why would they come back to London, when every time they arrive they're greeted by transport disruption to their fans and shows?

What makes this situation particularly galling is that it was entirely predictable. Sadiq Khan has spent the past year throwing taxpayers' money at union demands like confetti at a wedding, apparently believing that appeasement would buy him peace. He handed over £30 million of Londoners' hard-earned money early last year to avoid strikes, whilst his Labour colleagues in Westminster added another £30 million to the pot shortly after the General Election. That's £60 million of public money used to placate militant unions rather than invest in the services Londoners actually need.

The result of this weakness? The unions have learnt that they can hold London to ransom whenever they fancy a pay rise or want to flex their political muscle. They've cottoned on to the fact that this Labour Mayor and his Labour Government will do anything to keep their union baron backers onside.

As someone who has lived and worked in London all my life, I find it deeply frustrating to watch our city being held hostage by a handful of union leaders who seem to care more about their own power than the millions of ordinary Londoners trying to get on with their lives. The September strikes will affect everyone: the nurse trying to get to her shift, the small business owner opening her shop, the student heading to university for their first lectures, and the pensioner travelling to a hospital appointment they desperately need. How can this strike be about fairness, when so many of the people worst affected will have never seen fairness in the first place from the unions?

The economic impact will be devastating. London's economy depends on people being able to move freely around our city. When the Underground grinds to a halt, so does business. Tourism suffers, productivity plummets, and London's reputation as a world-class city takes another battering. We simply cannot afford this self-inflicted wound, particularly when we're still recovering from the challenges of recent years. The bond markets are at their most fragile state in decades, and the economy teeters on the brink thanks to Labour's mismanagement. I fear these strikes are only going to make it that much worse.

What's most infuriating is that this crisis was avoidable. A strong leader would have drawn a line in the sand and made it clear that holding London hostage is unacceptable. Instead, Khan has created a dangerous precedent where unions know that the mere threat of strikes will open the City Hall coffers.

Khan needs to get a grip or step aside. Londoners didn't elect a Mayor to be played like a puppet on a string by the unions. They elected someone they thought would stand up for their interests and keep our city moving. That means having the backbone to say no when unions make unreasonable demands, and the leadership skills to find solutions that work for everyone. Unfortunately, Londoners have been let down again by Sadiq Khan.

He was elected on a pledge of "zero strikes" under his Mayoralty. This weekend, the number of strikes we've seen under Khan will hit 149 total.

Labour politicians have simply rolled over at the first sign of trouble. It's a pattern we've seen time and again in London and beyond: weak Labour leadership that prioritises political allies over public service. We deserve better. We deserve leaders who understand that running a city isn't about keeping trade union bosses happy, it's about ensuring that nine million Londoners can live, work, and travel with confidence. It's about protecting our economy, supporting our businesses - particularly at this difficult time for the economy - and maintaining our position as one of the world's great cities.

The upcoming strikes are a symbol of everything that's wrong with Khan's approach to governing. When Labour wins, London loses - and it's ordinary Londoners who pay the price.

Until we have leadership that puts Londoners first, we'll continue to lurch from crisis to crisis, always at the mercy of whoever shouts loudest. London deserves real leadership, not appeasement.

____________________

Susan Hall AM is Leader of the City Hall Conservatives.

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.

To contact us email opinion@lbc.co.uk