MyLondon has launched a new podcast, The London Brief, designed to bring City Hall's inner workings to the public. The show will cover major issues affecting the capital, from driverless taxis and Transport for London to housing and the 2028 Mayoral race.
Why The London Brief matters
The Greater London Authority (GLA), also known as City Hall, has a budget of over £20 billion. While this mostly comes from Central Government grants, it is topped up by London taxpayers to the tune of £500 a year per person. This significant financial contribution is one overwhelming reason to scrutinise how the money is spent, and The London Brief will do just that.
City Hall lies hauntingly empty at times in a vibrant capital city of almost 10 million people. In years gone by, anything that happened in the old building - distinctive by its bulbous, egg-shaped dominance on the banks of the Thames - would be subject to reams of debate and discussion. Interest in what happens inside the corridors of the new building appears to have dropped off since Sir Sadiq Khan moved his base of power to the Docklands.
What the podcast will cover
The podcast will delve into the most crucial and impactful decisions, discussions, and debates from the past week, whether from the London Assembly, the Met Police, Transport for London, or the Mayor himself. MyLondon has already recorded powerful interviews about driverless taxis, airport expansions, and the plight of bus drivers fighting to improve their working conditions.
With less than two years until the next Mayoral election, The London Brief will look at who is vying to replace Sir Sadiq - and whether he is definitely running himself. The 25-strong London Assembly, elected at the same time as the Mayor every four years, is there to hold him to account and probe issues that matter most to Londoners.
Guests and political context
City Hall is often a stepping stone for wielding national power. Famous alumni include Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch, ex-Home Secretary James Cleverly, and former Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy. These are three of the 17 sitting or former MPs who started their journey on the London Assembly.
Those currently holding the Mayor to account are also visible nationally. Zack Polanski, elected to the Assembly in 2021, is now Green Party Leader - but you will still catch him poring through Environment Committee papers in the chamber.
The first podcast guest is Lord Bailey of Paddington, an Assembly Member who took the Mayor on directly and, like Susan Hall and Zac Goldsmith, ultimately fell short. However, he was rewarded with a place in the House of Lords for his efforts. Lord Bailey splits his time between being a peer and a London Assembly Member, and he has a direct message for the next Tory hopeful.
In the coming months, listeners will hear from Reform's challenger to the Labour Mayoral candidate in 2028, other Assembly Members, MPs, as well as campaigners supporting MyLondon's Back Our Bus Drivers campaign - all on The London Brief podcast.
Format and release
The show will be a conversation with, not an interrogation of, guests' points of view. Rather than 'gotcha' journalism, guests will be allowed to speak their mind before being robustly challenged. MyLondon has a duty to its readers to hold policymakers to account and shine a light on underreported stories, and this podcast gives a chance to do this in depth.
Everything will be released on MyLondon's YouTube channel. The first episode drops on Friday, September 25. For comments or suggestions, email kumail.jaffer@reachplc.com.
