Laurence Fox plans to let boroughs quit ‘wasteful and wokeish’ London assembly

The Reclaim Party leader called the control of the Greater London Authority ‘wasteful and wokeish’

Laurence Fox reportedly wants to allow London boroughs to opt-out of obeying City Hall, with a policy dubbed by the Reclaim Party leader as ‘Lexit’

The mayoral candidate said Londoners would be able to vote for their borough to move away from the control of the Greater London Authority (GLA) which he called “wasteful and wokish”.

As leader of the Reclaim Party, Mr Fox said residents could petition to stage a referendum to leave City Hall - which he says is likely as many boroughs have “different priorities” to the central areas of London. 

All London homes currently pay a precept averaging £366 towards GLA services, including policing and the fire brigade as well as the mayor’s office. 

If boroughs were to opt-out of the GLA, households would still have to pay for such services or provide their own. 

However, if this idea were to come to fruition, Mr Fox admitted, an Act of Parliament would be necessary. 

“We have had Brexit, now it is time for ‘Lexit’ — giving Londoners the chance to take back control from the Mayor and City Hall,” Mr Fox said. 

“Many boroughs are nominally part of London and subject to its rules despite having almost nothing in common with the central London dominated worldview of its Assembly,” he continued. “Voters in the outer boroughs tell me every day that they feel they are being taxed and punished to pay for Mayor Khan’s inner London follies. They don’t vote for Khan, they don’t like Khan — yet they are bankrolling him.”

The move comes after a Fox campaign analysis of figures from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy found people living on the outskirts of London are facing the highest cash rises in council tax in England, with a band D household paying £7.45 a month extra.

Mr Fox launched his mayoral campaign last month with a promise to bring London out of lockdown forever, and erect hundreds of new military statues and plaques.

Mr Fox told Londoners he wanted to “reclaim” their freedom for them. “We are here to reclaim your freedom and we need to unlock London now,” he said.

But, as of last week, Mr Fox was tying with satirical candidate Count Binface, polling showed.

Meanwhile, the same poll showed Labour’s Sadiq Khan was on course to win again, with 41 per cent support.