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Night czar is ‘good value for money’ insists Sadiq Khan

London's night czar Amy Lamé. Credit: James Manning/PA Archive/PA Images

Back to one of Sadiq Khan’s worst mistakes in office: Amy Lamé. The underwhelming ‘night czar’ is in the news again after Khan tried to persuade Londoners that the £120,000-a-year Lamé is worth the money.

Speaking to Times Radio this morning, the London mayor was quizzed about the city’s failing nighttime economy. ‘New York is the city that never sleeps,’ said the presenter. ‘London is the city that likes to go to bed early with a cup of Horlicks.’

Scrabbling for a retort, Khan had barely found one before he was hit with the next zinger: ‘Why are you paying a DJ 120 grand to be a night czar? That’s not value for money, is it?’

SK: Well, what we seen in the last few years is not just not just the cost of living crisis, not just the cost of doing business crisis, not just the pandemic, not just the consequences of labour shortages, but actually utility bills going up, business rates going up, rents going up.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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