London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

London Mayor Sadiq Khan challenges UK government’s ‘false choice’ between tackling virus and protecting economy

London Mayor Sadiq Khan challenges UK government’s ‘false choice’ between tackling virus and protecting economy

Sadiq Khan has called on the British government to stop pushing the ‘false choice’ between saving lives and protecting jobs, as the London mayor continues his war of words with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
After England entered a new national lockdown at midnight on Thursday, Sadiq Khan called on the government to ensure that businesses are supported until the economy can recover, or they will be “gone for good.” In his op-ed published in the Independent on Thursday, Khan accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of pushing a “false” choice between tackling the virus or protecting the economy, demanding ministers “must do both.”

While he praised the extension of the furlough scheme and the support for the self-employed, he made clear that more business grants and support for the poorest individuals are “urgently needed.”

London authorities and the UK government have been in a war of words over the level of economic support that is being provided, particularly to the capital city. The major dispute erupted over a bailout for Transport for London (TfL). While one has now been agreed, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps recently warned it was “not a blank cheque for Sadiq Khan.”

The London mayor urged residents to not “lose hope in the face of new restrictions,” as they will allow the city to drive the virus down and swiftly reopen the economy, moving the country back to normal.

For the next four-weeks, due to the national lockdown, residents in England must stay at home, leaving only for specific reasons including going to school, going to work if they can’t do their job from home, to exercise or purchase essential goods, for medical reasons, or to support vulnerable people.

London reported 2,307 new daily cases on Wednesday, taking the total number of infections that have been reported in the city since the start of the pandemic to over 105,107. The city currently has a rate of 146 cases per 100,000 people, which is below the national average of 152 per 100,000.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
×