‘Tory-backed campaign designed to try to belittle London mayor Sadiq Khan’

• VERY shortly after Labour took over Westminster, a letter appeared in the Extra outlining that party’s programme till the next council election.

Within the same week, my conversations with various neighbours found they were spouting parrot-fashion, word-for-word, what was said in that letter.

A bit later came the article in publications that included the Extra (July 1) by Nickie Aiken MP about the upcoming cuts in buses across London.

This smacked of a Tory-backed campaign designed to try to belittle London mayor Sadiq Khan; a personalised attack on him.

To be borne in mind, this is from a member of a party whose leader says he did not know what was going on in his own back garden (that of No 10) during partygate.

The same leadership has seen the appointment of someone looking after members and their welfare and who now stands accused of matters probably best left undescribed.

So it is perhaps no great surprise that the Aiken article gives a wholly inaccurate picture of why the mayor plus Transport for London are proposing to do what is planned.

Something of the background lies with Boris Johnson’s last days as mayor, when handing TfL finances over to the Treasury. The arrival of Covid-19 was an absolute god-send for this control to be exercised over TfL finances.

Covid and a lack of passengers bringing in the expected income via fares has led to TfL having to ask for government help.

That government is playing games with TfL funding and making it look as if this is because of TfL mismanagement.

This same Conservative party is insisting on cuts being made and disguising this by saying the mayor has been late with detailed plans and/or has not done such planning.

If the Tories were truly concerned with TfL and London buses and not more concerned with scoring points and playing political games, they would be offering TfL the same kind of funding deals being offered to privatised rail managements.

HARRY BOURNE, SW1