Allow Parliament to remove the London Mayor

We believe there should be a referendum on allowing Parliament to be able to remove a London Mayor, should a Mayor not fulfil their role to the best of their ability, keep London safe or act professionally.

Currently the only way to remove a mayor is if they do not attend an assembly meeting 6 times in a row, they break the law or they’re voted out. If a mayor shows they are not doing the best job they can for the people of London and visitors, we believe they should be removed to keep everyone safe.

The Greater London Authority, the position of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly were established following a referendum held in Greater London on 7 May 1998 in which 72% of those voting expressed their support for the proposals. The government has no plans to hold another referendum on the role of Mayor of London or the process by which they may be removed, and are proposing to grow the number and role of mayors across England over the coming years.

The government believes in devolution, moving power out of Westminster and to those who know their area best. Devolution in London has proved successful in maintaining the prosperity and success of London on a national and international level.

The Mayor of London is directly elected by the people of Greater London every 4 years and is scrutinised by the elected London Assembly. The Mayor is required to appear before the Assembly at least 10 times per year and host a public State of London Debate. The Assembly also conducts investigations on matters of importance to London through a series of themed committees.

Alongside other eligibility criteria, a person is disqualified from being the Mayor of London if they: • are convicted of any offence and a sentence of imprisonment of at least 3 months has been imposed, • are disqualified for illegal or corrupt practices at elections • incur or authorise unlawful expenses • fail to attend 6 meetings of the London Assembly when required More details on eligibility and disqualification criteria can be found here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-greater-london-authority-elections/what-you-need-know-you-stand-a-candidate/qualifications-and-disqualifications-standing-election/disqualifications#footnote2_iaSbti

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000 sets out the regulatory framework for referendums in the UK. Our constitutional arrangements allow for referendums to take place and primary legislation is required. Parliament is the supreme legislative authority in the United Kingdom and it is for Parliament to decide whether a referendum should take place and to pass primary legislation to determine how the referendum would be conducted. The government has no plans to introduce such primary legislation.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government