Sadiq Khan under fire for sending £117k 'night tsar' on luxury business trips despite London's flagging party scene
26 February 2024, 08:39 | Updated: 26 February 2024, 09:00
Sadiq Khan has come under fire over spending after sending London's £117k 'night tsar' embarked on luxury business trips - despite the current state of London's flagging party scene.
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The London Mayor has come under fresh pressure where both spending and time are concerned after Amy Lamé was sent on business trips to Australia, Spain and Italy in recent months.
Ms Lamé, who also works as a BBC Radio DJ, costs the capital £117k in her position as London 'night tsar' - a job that aims to foster and build 'partnerships' around the world.
The trips come despite some 1,165 venues shutting in London over the past three years.
City Hall has since insisted the trips were 'essential' and aimed to 'share best practice learn from other cities and build partnerships'
The position, which was created in the hopes of rejuvenating London's night culture, has seen Khan face growing pressure where justifying the six-figure pay cheque is concerned.
Trips to Sydney, Bologna and Madrid, despite not paid for by the taxpayer, were funded through private donations.
Questions over whether the trips were an appropriate use of Ms Lamé's time, however, remain.
Recent trips made by the presenter include visits to Sydney and Bolognia.
Read more: Sadiq Khan accuses Rishi Sunak of 'enabling anti-Muslim hatred' in the Conservative Party
It comes despite one survey finding that 1,165 venues in London have shut their doors since the start of the pandemic.
It follows declining disposable incomes and reduced levels of drinking where Gen-Z are concerned - the former factor being heavily influenced by the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Michael Knill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), told The Times that questions remain over the position and international travel arrangements.
"There is a big difference between signposting and virtue signalling and driving tangible change," he said.
"We see a lot of announcements but not so many results."
It's but the latest controversy linked to the London Mayor, after he accused Rishi Sunak of "enabling anti-Muslim hatred".
The London Mayor says the PM failed to explicitly condemn Lee Anderson, after the Tory MP accused him of being controlled by Islamists.
Mr Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative party, was suspended on Saturday after refusing to apologise for saying that Islamists had "got control" of Mr Khan.
Mr Khan said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that Mr Sunak and Mr Dowden were "enabling" Islamophobia.
