London Mayor Sadiq Khan must be stopped from "ignoring millions of people" by giving London boroughs the power to veto his policies, a Tory MP has said. Peter Fortune, the Conservative MP for the Outer London seat of Bromley & Biggin Hill, claimed that Khan has grown too powerful, saying he's left residents across the capital "alienated and disenfranchised". He said: "But as the Mayor of London's responsibilities, powers and budget have grown, the London Assembly has become weaker and weaker in comparison. It means the mayor does not have to seek consensus, negotiate or even listen to opposing views."

Speaking in the House of Commons, Fortune added: "In a city the size of London, it effectively alienates and disenfranchises millions of people." Fortune claims that Londoners are ignored by the Mayor, citing the expansion of the ULEZ, and the lack of powers the London Assembly has, as examples. In order to change Mayoral policy, such as the budget, the Assembly requires a two third's majority vote. As such, there has not been a change to a budget, or a mayoral strategy, triggered by an assmebly vote, in 25 years.

The MP, who won what is now one of the city's most marginal seats, entered parliament in 2024, and is now pushing for the councils in London's thirty-two boroughs to be given a vote on key mayoral decisions.

A former London Assembly Member, Fortune was one of the Mayor's fiercest critics over the controversial expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) last year.

He said that the pricey road charge and how it was handled had exposed the "democratic and accountability deficit" at City Hall.

"That political fracture was made clear when Mayor Khan imposed ULEZ expansion on outer London, despite overwhelming opposition," he said. "There is a glaring democratic and accountability deficit in London."

Khan has made the ULEZ one of his defining policies, even writing a book about his battle to clean up London's air.

He has become the first politician ever to secure a third term as Mayor of London, securing over one million votes last year. But critics like Fortune insist the ULEZ is a symbol of how the Mayor rides roughshod over Londoners.

"They've never paid more to City Hall. Yet, people feel they are ignored on every issue," Fortune said.

He accused Khan of hammering households with higher taxes and more charges. "Mayor Khan has increased council tax by 77% in nine years, meaning Londoners now pay nearly £500 a year on average to fund his policies," he said.

"In the first three months of this year, motorists forked out nearly £220 million thanks to Mayor Khan's Ulez charge, Blackwall Tunnel toll, and hiked Congestion Charge."

"And what do they receive in return for all this money? Ulez cameras, too few police officers, and green belt protections ripped up."

Fortune said anger was boiling over in his own seat. "My constituents of Bromley and Biggin Hill have had enough of being ignored by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan," he said.

But a spokesman for the Mayor of London said that the Mayor was "re-elected for a historic third term as Mayor for all Londoners and has vowed to work tirelessly to deliver for each and every one of London's boroughs, including Bromley", the Borough Fortune's constituency is in.

They added: "Sadiq has a strong record of protecting jobs and growth in Bromley, as well as delivering affordable housing and vital transport improvements. Thanks to the expansion of the London-wide ULEZ, Bromley has seen some of the biggest reductions in NOx emissions, with harmful emissions estimated to be around 15% lower in 2024 than would be expected without the expansion to outer London.

Fortune warned that borough votes were the only way to restore accountability and stop City Hall riding roughshod over residents.

"Without change, millions of Londoners will go on being ignored by a Mayor who refuses to listen," he said.