London mayor Sir Sadiq Kahn has accepted a £5,000 pay rise which apparently makes him the highest-paid politician in the UK. The Labour mayor now earns £170,282 the Standard reports, more than the Prime Minister who receives £169,344. In principle, Sir Keir Starmer could be paid more. His salary includes the £93,904 paid to all MPs and a Ministerial allowance, but the Prime Minister does not take the full allowance.
The 3.23% increase in Sir Sadiq is linked to the amount awarded to town hall staff across the country. Meanwhile, the number of staff working at City Hall has increased by nine per cent in the last year to a record 1,615 people, including 90 agency workers. This is up from about 1,100 people just before the Covid pandemic.
Emma Best, deputy leader of the City Hall Conservatives, said Londoners would be infuriated to learn of the increase in City Hall staff at a time the number of police stations open to the public is being slashed.
She said: "The concept of value for money is alien in Khan's City Hall as he continues his out-of-control expansion.
"We have continued to argue for a reduced headcount at the GLA to save millions that could be invested into frontline services; these figures today remind us exactly why we argue for this and why London so desperately needs change."
The Mayor launched a broadside against US President Donald Trump as Mr Trump was set to arrive in the UK for the start of his state visit.
He said record numbers of Americans have applied for British citizenship following Mr Trump's election for a second time.
Speaking to the Guardian, Sir Sadiq said: "Prominent figures in the US and UK deliberately talk down our country, and in particular our capital city. Yet the latest evidence is clear - a record number of US citizens are now applying for citizenship here in the UK.
"For many Americans I speak with, it's because of our values. As well as being the UK's financial, legal and governmental centre, in London we offer an ecosystem that is unparalleled around the world, from our brilliant universities to our culture and our creative industries.
"But it's also our liberal values that make us stand out - celebrating our diversity in London as a strength, not as a threat to society."
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