London Mayor Sadiq Khan gave a speech to top business leaders Tuesday demanding more autonomy for the capital in light of last week’s “Brexit” vote.
The mayor issued a demand for more tax-raising powers, as well as more control over business and skills, housing and planning, transport, health and policing and criminal justice, according to a press release.
His speech came after a petition calling for London to become an independent city state neared 180,000 signatures in just three days.
“As much as I might like the idea of a London city state, I’m not seriously talking about independence today. I am not planning to install border points on the M25,” said Mr. Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor.
“But on behalf of all Londoners, I am demanding more autonomy for the capital — right now,” he said. “More autonomy in order to protect London’s economy from the uncertainty ahead, to protect the businesses from around the world who trade here and to protect our jobs, wealth and prosperity.”
The mayor insisted that he isn’t trying to pit London, which voted to remain a member of the European Union, against the rest of the U.K.
“Our nation has been too divided over recent months,” Mr. Khan said. “Remainers versus leavers. North versus South. Old versus young. London versus the rest of the country. But now is the time to bring people together and heal our divisions, rather than to divide and make them worse. Which is why it’s crucial that we now make clear that the entire U.K. will benefit from London getting more autonomy.
“Because when London succeeds, the rest of the country succeeds too,” he added. “And when we fail, the entire nation fails.”
Mr. Khan stressed the government’s need to “move fast” on devolution.
“We can’t hang around for the outcome of the negotiations before we give Londoners more control,” he said. “It needs to happen now.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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