Labour Assembly Members Face 'Spineless' Accusations After Blocking All Budget Amendments
Labour Assembly Members have been heavily criticized for failing to properly scrutinize the Mayor of London after ensuring every single budget amendment proposed by opposition parties was voted down during a marathon session at City Hall. The Mayor of London's annual budget for 2026-27 passed without any changes despite eight formal amendments being put forward, prompting opposition members to accuse Labour of putting party loyalty before Londoners' interests.
Opposition Amendments Systematically Blocked
The blocked amendments included significant cost-saving measures proposed by the Conservative group, which sought to reduce the number of Deputy Mayors from nine to five and cut staffing levels across both City Hall and Transport for London. Another notable amendment called for establishing a dedicated Disability Champion position within City Hall, funded by approximately £150,000 from business rates reserves, to hold the Mayor accountable on accessibility issues.
Two separate attempts were made to halt all planned closures of police station front counters scheduled for the coming weekend. Reform UK proposed one amendment, while the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups jointly proposed another, both seeking to redirect funding within the existing budget to maintain these public-facing police services.
Labour's Unanimous Opposition
On each occasion, the Labour group's eleven members ensured all amendments were defeated. Since amendments require a two-thirds majority on the 25-member London Assembly, Labour's unified opposition proved decisive. This marked the continuation of a historical pattern where no Mayoral Budget in London has ever been successfully amended at the final stage, including during Boris Johnson's eight-year tenure when Conservative Assembly Members similarly protected the Mayor's proposals.
Conservative Assembly Member Andrew Boff expressed strong disappointment, stating: "I hope Labour Assembly Members are thinking long and hard today about how they will look their voters in the face. The London Assembly exists to scrutinize the Mayor of London and has the power to change his budget when we believe he has made errors. I think their voters would want them to demonstrate more courage rather than simply following the Mayor's line in hopes of political rewards."
Cross-Party Criticism Intensifies
Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Gareth Thomas branded the Labour group "spineless," questioning their impact on Londoners' lives. He emphasized: "Every politician should ask themselves daily whether they've made a difference to someone's life. Despite their public petitions and posturing, the Labour group achieved absolutely nothing yesterday."
After her Disability Champion proposal was voted down despite previous Assembly support, Assembly Member directly addressed Labour Members, stating: "What's the purpose of Labour? You accomplish nothing for London. This Labour group exists solely to serve as the Labour Mayor's unquestioning supporters."
Reform UK's Frustration
Reform UK proposed four budget amendments, including installing toilets on bus routes for drivers—measures they described as "costed" and capable of "making demonstrable improvements to Londoners' lives." Assembly Member Alex Wilson told reporters: "Every single Labour AM should feel embarrassed. The Assembly's role is to hold the Mayor accountable, not to ask 'how high?' when he instructs them to jump. What we witnessed was a sycophantic display of allegiance to Sadiq Khan when it's crucial to challenge how he's managing London."
Wilson added that amendments gained some cross-party support but were blocked due to Labour's refusal to collaborate with Reform UK, following Sadiq Khan's directive to avoid working with the party.
Labour's Defense of Their Position
Krupesh Hirani AM, Labour's Budget Spokesperson, defended the group's actions, explaining they would not support any policy changes funded by job cuts. He stated: "We proudly voted for the Mayor of London's Budget because it delivers genuine support for Londoners and invests in our city's future. This Budget directly addresses the cost of living crisis by continuing free school meals for all primary school children and freezing bus and tram fares, putting money back into working families' pockets when they need it most."
Hirani emphasized the budget's additional benefits: "It provides record City Hall funding for the Metropolitan Police to protect neighborhood policing while supporting early intervention and prevention work that enhances community safety. Furthermore, the Budget invests in skills development and provides extra funding to help London address artificial intelligence's impact, ensuring our workforce is prepared for tomorrow's jobs. We could not entertain last-minute opposition amendments that would be financed through job reductions."
Ultimately, the Labour group did pass a non-binding motion calling on the Mayor to intervene and halt all planned permanent closures of police station front counters scheduled from that weekend, though this lacked the force of the budget amendments they rejected.
