London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, is under investigation for a potential breach of the City Hall code of conduct due to remarks he made before the expansion of the Ulez across Greater London. The Greater London Authority’s monitoring officer, Rory McKenna, has chosen to appoint an independent investigator to delve into a series of complaints about the mayor. These complaints were received from Nick Rogers, a Tory member of the London Assembly.

The complaints are linked to a consultation conducted by Transport for London last summer, which revealed that two-thirds of respondents were against the expansion. Additionally, during a People’s Question Time public meeting in Ealing in March, Mr Khan commented that Ulez opponents were in alliance with the far-Right. There are allegations suggesting that the mayor had early access to the TfL consultation responses and that some negative feedback was omitted from the final results. However, Mr Khan has refuted these claims.

The Ulez expansion, which took place on August 29, was met with significant controversy, especially since over 500 enforcement cameras were either vandalised or stolen. At the aforementioned Ealing meeting, some protesters displayed signs portraying the Mayor with a swastika and a hammer-and-sickle symbol. In response to disruptions from the audience, Mr Khan stated that it was unacceptable for those with genuine Ulez objections to align with far-Right groups present outside the venue.

The complaints from Mr Rogers suggest that Mr Khan provided misleading and dishonest statements to the London Assembly regarding his knowledge of the Ulez consultation feedback.

It’s worth noting that Mr Khan typically faces several complaints annually, primarily from political adversaries. While some are dismissed early on, others advance to the investigation phase. The decision to appoint an independent investigator doesn’t imply any presumption of guilt. Past complaints against the mayor, such as those related to the departure of former Met commissioner Dame Cressida Dick and the inauguration of the Elizabeth line, were not substantiated.

A representative for Mr Khan stated that the mayor has always been transparent about the necessity of the Ulez expansion, despite its challenges. He has been attentive to those with reservations and is awaiting the outcome of the monitoring officer’s investigation. Mr Rogers has been contacted for his comments.