Sadiq Khan's City Hall team takes shape ... with transport guru Andrew Adonis tipped as the first big signing

Set for City Hall: Labour's Lord Adonis
Glenn Copus
Pippa Crerar9 May 2016

Ex-Labour transport secretary Andrew Adonis is tipped to become Sadiq Khan’s first big appointment at City Hall.

He is expected to become deputy mayor for transport and would be tasked with bringing in Mr Khan’s four-year fares freeze and cutting Transport for London “flab” to pay for it.

The appointment would show Mr Khan was living up to his word not to pack City Hall with cronies. The peer left the Labour benches to run George Osborne’s Infrastructure Commission.

It would also be seen as an olive branch to centrist Labour politicians as he was a key supporter of former Olympic minister Tessa Jowell’s bid for City Hall.

Sadiq Khan's first official day as London Mayor

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However, the move could be criticised by the Green Party, which has attacked Lord Adonis’s lack of focus on pollution.

Mr Khan has taken key members of his team with him to City Hall, with campaign director David Bellamy tipped to be chief of staff. Policy director Dr Nick Bowes is also expected to get a big job.

They will be joined by Neale Coleman, a respected City Hall operator who worked for both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. Comms director Paddy Hennessy is expected to stay put and political director Jack Stenner could be rewarded with a role.

Mr Khan’s team will be supported by senior London politicians. Assembly member Joanne McCartney is expected to be made statutory deputy mayor, which would also help address a lack of women.

Islington councillor James Murray is expected to become deputy mayor for housing and Labour peer Oona King could also feature.

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