Sadiq Khan: British voters will not accept a PM involved in sleaze
May 1, 2021, 10:30 am

Sadiq Khan: British voters will not accept a PM involved in sleaze

Sadiq Khan said Keir Starmer is ‘laying the foundations’ for the Labour party’s return.

London mayor says Tory MPs defending Boris Johnson should ‘look at themselves in the mirror’ Sadiq Khan

Conservative MPs defending Boris Johnson’s lack of transparency over the funding of his flat renovations should “have a look at themselves in the mirror”, Sadiq Khan has said, predicting sleaze would eventually affect support for the government.

The London mayor, who is standing for re-election next week, said it was “offensive to British voters” to claim people did not care about transparency, or that such behaviour was expected from the prime minister.

Speaking to the Guardian, Khan also said that next Thursday’s local and mayoral elections should not be viewed as a verdict on Keir Starmer’s leadership, saying the Labour leader was still “laying the foundations” for the party’s return.

On Friday, Starmer called for Johnson to say who had initially paid for the work on his Downing Street flat, telling reporters on a campaign visit: “Frankly, it’s getting ridiculous that the prime minister won’t simply answer the question – it’s not a difficult question.”

Conservative ministers and others have said only that Johnson “has met the costs” of the renovation work, declining to discuss what might have happened initially.

Khan said: “Those politicians who are using that script should have a look at themselves in the mirror. Boris Johnson will sooner or later be gone, and they will have to explain what they said, day after day, about his behaviour.

“Those Tories who are maybe feeling a bit smug and arrogant – they should just pause and reflect on what that means about them, and what it says, in their view, about the British public.”

He added: “I don’t think it is the case that the British public accept a prime minister who is involved in sleaze or cronyism. It’s not ‘priced in’. That is so offensive to British voters.”

The Labour mayor is the overwhelming favourite to win a second term on 6 May, although he expresses concern this could prompt supportive voters to stay at home, especially given Covid restrictions.

Keir Starmer campaigns in the Hartlepool byelection.

Labour could face a difficult time nationwide, showing little or no progress in former heartland areas and potentially losing a byelection in the parliamentary constituency of Hartlepool, a seat held by the party since it was created in 1974.

A bad night should not be viewed as a sign Starmer had failed, Khan said, arguing that sleaze allegations would eventually have an impact on poll numbers. “What people don’t realise, when you look at polls, is it takes time – the drip, drip, drip, drip. I lived through the banking crisis, I lived through the phone-hacking crisis, MPs’ expenses, and it doesn’t happen overnight.”

More generally, he said, it would take time to persuade voters sceptical of Labour to back the party, likening it to the process it went through between the defeat to John Major in 1992 and Tony Blair’s victory in 1997.

“I’ve got to be honest, speaking to Labour MPs, activists, councillors across the country, for a long period of time people weren’t listening to us, it was like white noise. We’ve got to stay calm, we shouldn’t panic. I think Keir is doing exactly the right thing.

“You’ve got to understand when you’ll get to the summit. You want to get to the summit probably around spring 2023, that’s probably when the election is going to be.

“There are various staging posts. I don’t think we should assess success or otherwise based on the results around the country on 6 May. What Keir is doing is laying the foundations for our party, repairing some of the damage done, making sure the country gives us the permission to be heard – not necessarily, at this stage, agreeing with what he’s saying, but the first stage is getting permission to be heard.”

On the plus side for Labour, Khan said, was the sense that Johnson and his government had lost touch with voters, citing quotes attributed to the prime minister’s camp that the Downing Street flat was a “John Lewis furniture nightmare” under Theresa May.

Khan worked part-time in the haberdashery department of Peter Jones, part of the John Lewis chain, when he was a student. He said: “I’m personally offended as a former John Lewis partner. This, again, is the out-of-touchness. Normally it takes 18 years for a government to become out of touch, if you’re the Tories.” Sadiq Khan

source: Peter Walker

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.