City Hall Conservatives would like to start by wishing a very big congratulations to Tim Barnes, who won the West End by-election last night in Westminster, returning to the Council. Tim was one of the Conservatives’ excellent London candidates at the General Election, and his win last night signals the beginning of a long road to retaking Westminster Council, the West Central Assembly constituency, and the Two Cities Parliamentary seat. Congratulations again to Tim and the team who have been working so hard to get him over the line!
The Conservative by-election win will be a headache for Westminster Labour and Sadiq Khan, who this week announced his plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street in the West End ward. City Hall Conservatives remain committed to the belief that Oxford Street is a London jewel which has been allowed to decline under the Mayor’s watch, and we desperately want to see it restored to its past glory. That said, the Mayor’s track record on delivering with Mayoral Development Corporations (the less said about Old Oak and the London Legacy Corporations, the better, he probably thinks!) leaves us worried that this recent decision to overrule a Labour Council and press ahead with the plans means Londoners won’t get true value for money or speedy results from this plan.
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