The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been accused of failing to effectively use his "convening powers" to bridge the skills gap in the capital, despite other Metro Mayors across the UK successfully deploying similar authority. Critics argue that while Khan has consistently demanded more devolutionary powers from the government, he has not fully utilized the powers already at his disposal.
Other Metro Mayors Lead by Example
Examples of successful use of convening powers include Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, who coordinated local authorities to deliver LCR Connect, providing ultra-fast broadband to residents. Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also used his powers to bring together public services to reduce homelessness, even though such responsibilities typically fall to local councils.
Lord Ranger, who served under former Mayor Boris Johnson from 2008 to 2012, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "London is always recognised as the growth engine of the UK. So there's a fundamental part of the UK growth that London plays a part with. It competes internationally. It draws international business in, it draws investment in." He emphasized that London's success is crucial for the UK's overall health, but noted that the city is falling behind in productivity and inward investment.
APPG Inquiry Highlights Productivity Concerns
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for London held its first inquiry session on igniting productivity in the capital. Despite sustained employment and economic growth outperforming the rest of the country, London's productivity growth has stalled since the 2008 financial crisis. Lord Ranger pointed out that "opportunities cheek by jowl in the city" are not being linked with people who could leverage them for jobs.
Matthew Fell, Director of Competitiveness at BusinessLDN, told the event that while pushing for more devolution was important, "more can be done with existing powers." He added: "Investors say that other parts of England, Mayors use their convening powers to play an active role to align things to set the groundwork for investment. London's superpower lies in the agglomeration of different sectors - but there is a skills paradox, where London ranks high for human capital but there are still skills gaps and mass youth unemployment, with an underinvestment in training."
Unique Governance Challenges for London
Majeed Neky from the West London Alliance noted that Khan is at a disadvantage compared to Mayors overseeing Combined Authorities, due to the Greater London Authority's unique arrangement. "London is often lumped together with other strategic Mayoral authorities - but we do not have powers that Combined Authorities have in terms of connecting with local authorities," he said. "As we look at what more we can do with devolution, we need to change that perception."
Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson, who co-chairs the APPG, sent a coded message to the next Prime Minister, emphasizing the importance of investing in London and being "loud and proud about the city." The Mayor of London was contacted for comment but has not yet responded.
