The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, may not have implemented Transport for London's latest decision to prevent Uber renewing its license, but his comments proved how out-of-touch he is with the majority of Londoners he claims to represent. Uber is not perfect, but it represents the essence of our free market economy: competition. Black cabs have earned a terrible reputation in recent years. Many of them overcharge customers, lots of their drivers have been involved in rape and sexual assault cases and many people have resorted to seeking alternative transport methods.
Unlike black cabs, Uber allows users to hold their drivers to account. They can be rated on reliability and quality. They provide rates that are more affordable for people and their app allows people to order a taxi at their earliest convenience. It is a brilliant concept for the modern age and demonstrates how innovative businesses can be in a free market society. Uber has been criticised for failing to pay their workers a National Living Wage, but anyone who has attempted to establish a new company would comprehend how much this legislation prohibits them.
He has only made travel more expensive for thousands of Londoners
That is why Mr. Khan's comments on Uber are not welcome. He is abusing his elected position.
By supporting this move, he has only made travel more expensive for thousands of Londoners. He has stifled competition and suffocated a successful business, which is what happens when you allow any government body to interfere in the economy.
He has expressed his utter contempt for the electorate
His latest Brexit comments, which stated that Britain could remain in the Single Market, shows he has failed to understand why people voted to leave the EU last year.
A "soft" Brexit will not result in the UK leaving the trading bloc, which is what thousands of Labour voters chose last year. Mr. Khan's remarks hint that he hopes this country will remain in the Single Market permanently after March 2019, or that leaving the EU could be stopped altogether. He even agreed with the Guardian journalist that was interviewing him that "Brexit might not mean Brexit." Like many of his colleagues, he has expressed his utter contempt for the electorate.
Mr. Khan has the right to speak his mind, but not to interfere in matters that are beyond his office. Most importantly, he should not support policies that restrict enterprise in the City. Unfortunately for London, they have another three years of him left.
