London Mayoral Election

I have read that Sadiq Khan wants to review our council tax bands and that is how he will make a lot of money. It is many years since a D band owner paid £65000 for a house! That band would be upped to F and F would be L or M or whatever. That would be money for old rope, the minor problem would be how many of could afford much more?

Is it up to the mayor to do that?
I've no idea - just asking.

www.ibtimes.co.uk/boris-johnson-embroiled-race-row-after-part-kenyan-jibe-against-barack-obama-1556266

At least you are getting rid of this idiot. He's getting more like Trump every day.

From what I understand, it's every separate council which sets its own tax rate.

The mayor has a precept added because he is responsible for police, fire, etc., and TfL.

"Mr Goldsmith said he would be able to freeze the precept - about £276 a year for a Band D property - because he had secured a deal with ministers to protect police numbers at 32,000.

“I believe we can go further, but I’ve not promised things in my manifesto that I’m not absolutely certain I can deliver,” he said.

The Mayor’s precept is worth £767 million a year, with £567 million going on the Met, £138 million on the London Fire Brigade and £69 million for services including transport and City Hall itself."

So whatever you have read, Kahn cannot set the bands himself.
Where did you read that? Goldsmith's leaflets?
Presumably if Goldsmith has secured a deal to keep police numbers at 32,000, that will apply to any mayor. They cannot say that will only apply if you vote for Goldsmith.

According to an Evening Standard poll, Khan will win on the first ballot.
Goldsmith only gets 37% with Kahn getting 53%.

That's interesting durhamjen. From the comments on the Standard's facebook page people seem to be blaming Khan for doing something that it was actually done by Goldsmith.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/03/luxury-flat-developers-reuben-linked-to-46000-of-donations-to-zac-goldsmith

Here's another bit of sleaze to do with Goldsmith.
Good timing.

As is the fact that the government has handed over the NHS files to Google for all patients in the Royal Free hospital group.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/03/now-or-never-three-non-amigos-dave-boris-zac

This is brilliant.

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Loved the second link Jen , thank you for both links

Reuben Foundation runs private Jewish schools.

Yes and named one school after their mother , they make their money now in property in this country

They are also listed under anti-social finance on Ethical Consumer and TaxResearch.
So instead of paying their taxes properly, they give the money to Goldsmith.
Nice.

They also own or owned Tory headquarters. You'd think they'd realise it's not a good thing to do now, definitely not the right thing.

If anyone wants to catch up on why many people think Goldsmith has run a disgraceful campaign, here is a Youtube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KBpBkkbpjs

Ironic -given what is being said about Labour at the moment!

Zac is our MP and is actually a very good one. He organises a lot of regular meetings for discussions and Q and A sessions. My dh invariably goes. I have emailed him about the cost of housing around here (horrendous) and received a very quick, apparently personal and detailed reply.
I heard recently that shortly after becoming an MP he spent an entire day travelling with a disabled constituent around London on public transport (at the disabled person's request) so that he could see for himself how hard it was.

The question you've got to consider though is - do I want an overt rascist as the mayor of London. What message is that sending out to the young Muslim, the young black and other ethnic minorities?

Witzend, if he really did spend a day on public transport seeing the difficulties the disabled have why do you think he voted in favour of taking moobility alloances from many disabled people ?

I think he is hypocritical and a racist ,

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Much worse.

Outrageous Alea? Rubbish . An Iraqi and a Jew marry, the sons are named David and Reuben , they build and run Jewish schools , that's it

I see that Sadiq Khan has apologised for using the rasist term 'Uncle Toms'
He used this term in 2009 while he was minister for community cohesion.

Good grief, who sits at computers Google for things said six years ago

Pity the Labour Party would do the re the Tories, yet I am glad they don't sink to the level of the Tories

What .khan said was wrong, equal to Boris and his sneering 'water melon smiles '

At least Khan apologised

What does strike me though is that every day folk seem to have a much higher standard in their approach than all these MPs who have the nerve to pontificate at us.

Anniebach - You've done it again!!
I still think it is outrageous to make assumptions in a derogatory way invoking Jewish (or Iraqi ) names as stereotypes. Especially the light of all the anti-Semitic flak of recent days, to say what you did was out of order.

Anniebach I'm afraid that you're showing your ignorance of the history of the Middle East.

An Iraqi and a Jew married?

There are such people as Iraqi Jews, going back to biblical times.