London’s housing crisis remains a glaring failure of the current administration’s approach, with Mayor Sadiq Khan doubling down on the failed policies that have left countless Londoners priced out of their own city. Despite grand claims of progress, the truth is that Khan’s leadership has done little to stem the tide of unaffordability, which continues to threaten the social fabric and economic stability of the capital. Instead of addressing the root causes—such as restrictive planning policies and ballooning costs—the Mayor persists in making superficial adjustments while the crisis deepens.

Certainly, there is some official talk of increased housing completion figures — over 36,000 new homes annually under Khan — but these numbers are misleading. They are a drop in the ocean of what is truly needed; they mask the fact that London remains hamstrung by bureaucratic red tape, planning delays, and an overreliance on hollow government promises. The recent decline in affordable housing starts—fewer than 4,000 in the last year—is a stark indicator that the current policies are broken. Khan’s government has, in effect, abandoned its own targets, forcing the government to slash affordable housing ambitions amidst the ongoing fallout from years of misguided policy.

Meanwhile, Khan’s push to revise existing requirements—such as reducing the mandatory 35% affordable homes in new developments—highlights his inability or unwillingness to accept that more aggressive action is needed. Promises of “negotiations” to loosen planning rules are nothing more than Band-Aids over a wound the size of London itself. Instead of fighting to streamline development and cut through planning approvals, Khan capitulates to vested interests and bureaucratic inertia, further slowing down the housing supply that desperately needs turbocharging.

Despite lofty rhetoric about boosting the economy through housing, such theories are hollow. A mere 1% improvement in affordability could add billions to London’s economy, but the Mayor’s approach remains mired in planning delays and policy paralysis. Instead of advocating for bold, right-wing reforms—like easing borrowing restrictions, privatizing certain social housing projects, or incentivizing rapid construction—the current strategy appears adrift, unable to deliver the fundamental change needed.

Khan’s approach exemplifies the misguided reliance on public investment and regulation, which are failing to deliver real results. The only way to genuinely solve London’s housing crisis is through decisive, pro-growth policies that remove unnecessary red tape, encourage private sector activity, and prioritize supply over bureaucracy. As the crisis worsens, Londoners deserve leadership that recognizes the failures of the status quo and commits to radical reforms—rather than perpetuating a cycle of stagnation and broken promises.

Source: Noah Wire Services