On London Extra: What Next?

Resetting after the Spending Review snub, succeeding Sadiq, homes, hospitals and trains, Green Book review and fare dodging on the Number 31 in the 1980s.

The special thing about this Substack is that all the money it makes helps to fund the no-ads, no-paywall, high-quality journalism website On London I founded and edit, including its many marvellous writers. If you aren’t already a paid subscriber and don’t support On London through another avenue, please consider taking the free trial. As well as making me happy and doing something good, you will start getting nice things other people don’t. Thanks, Dave.

Gadding around town this very warm week, I've attended the launch of a book about the regeneration of King's Cross, a celebration in the City of a friend's huge contribution to the renewal of the capital since before Mayors were invented, and generally communed with fellow London politics and policy fanatics both individually and in groups. Much of the talk following the disappointments and annoyances of the Spending Review concerned the big question - what next?

The Mayor's reaction to London receiving no funding for transport infrastructure - not even the relatively inexpensive proposed DLR extension into Thamesmead - was criticised by some. Not for the first time, his public comments were judged too combative, too political and likely to make matters worse, rather than better. Perhaps, but I'm still inclined to take Sir Sadiq's side.