PMQs: 'Joys of devolution' as Andrew Rosindell calls for 'more independence' for London boroughs

Keir Starmer had challenged the PM from the despatch box: "Why is the prime minister so scared to call an election?"

But it is clear that, if he can stave off Tory discontent, Sunak will go to the voters in the autumn.

In the meantime he is hoping that local election results from May 2 are not as bad as many Tories fear.

In the capital, voters will elect their mayor and London Assembly members, and Starmer was out on Monday being all matey with Sadiq Khan, talking about the great things they could achieve if the voters let them.

But in the Commons, east London MP Andrew Rosindell gave Sunak a swing at the subject, while calling for his patch to be freed from City Hall's tyranny.

"The prime minister should be aware that the people of Romford are appalled by the catastrophic reign of the current mayor of London," he said. "Does he agree that traditional boroughs like Havering should have more independence from City Hall? But in the meantime, to save London, shouldn't we sack Sadiq and elect Susan Hall as the next mayor of our capital?"

A grinning Rishi Sunak took to the despatch box, and said: "As he says, whilst there aren't current plans to redraw the boundaries, I can understand his desire, especially with London being run by the Labour mayor, with nightlife being decimated, crime increasing, and the mayor raising taxes on hard-working people by over 8%, London can certainly, Mr Speaker, do better."

He added that the "only way for pride to be restored in London" would be through the election of Susan Hall.

The love-in this week between Starmer and Khan this week suggested their pride in the city in which they both live.

They seem to have patched up any friction after the Labour leader called for the mayor to "reflect" on the ULEZ expansion, following the party's loss in the Uxbridge by-election.

This week Starmer made clear his support for clean air, referencing his teenage sons: “I wouldn’t give them dirty water to drink and I wouldn’t want them to breathe in dirty air.” Mind you, after PMQs a Labour spokesperson made clear that the two will still sometimes have their differences.

"Keir's view hasn't changed and...there are a number of issues where Sadiq and Keir have different views on things and that's the joys of devolution - something we should all be relaxed about," they said.

While not backing more independence for Havering, there could still be more independence for the mayor of London.

"We've spoken about more powers for regional mayors when it comes to things like skills agenda, when it comes to welfare and employment schemes in local areas being tailored to the needs that there are," said the Labour spokesperson. "That's something that was discussed at length in the Gordon Brown Commission and was referenced in the take back control proposals that we had." 

Andre Langlois is the editor of NationalWorld's sister site LondonWorld.