Who is Tarun Ghulati challenging London Mayor Sadiq Khan?

Tarun Ghulati has entered the London Mayoral race to challenge Sadiq Khan, who is seeking a third consecutive term in office.

The 63-year-old is among 13 candidates in the running for the May 2, 2024, elections.

The winning mayoral candidate will be responsible for all local issues affecting Londoners from transport and policing to housing and the environment.

Ghulati has hit headlines but who is he?

Born in Delhi, Tarun Ghulati is an investment banker.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Ghulati is a “seasoned CEO with an enviable track record of delivering practical and creative solutions to complex issues in banking and financial services businesses across the world”.

His profile says he has led global businesses over his decades-long career across six countries in the Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Ghulati has worked for the likes of Citibank and HSBC.

He has stated that Londoners have been “let down” by all the major political parties and believes his experience as a businessman will help him run London like a “seasoned CEO” who delivers profits for all.

As an independent candidate, Ghulati believes his experience is what London needs to revive its fortunes as the “global bank of the world” by attracting the investment it needs.

In a speech, he said: “I view London as a unique global city, akin to the ‘global bank of the world’ where diverse cultures converge to flourish.

“As Mayor, I will build London’s balance sheet such that it is the premier choice for investment, safeguarding safety and prosperity for all its residents.

“I will transform and run London effectively and efficiently like a seasoned CEO.

“London will be a profitable corporation where profitability means the well-being of all.

“You will all be part of the journey. Let’s do it for our London, our home.”

He also stressed the need for more police officers on the streets of London.

“It is about having enough bobbies on the beat, having the resources for police officers to do their jobs; which means making the streets safe for women to walk at night, with muggers and burglars being caught and punished.”

Sadiq Khan’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) have not gone down well with the public.

But Tarun Ghulati has vowed to get rid of the policies should he become London Mayor.

He stated:

“We did not want ULEZ, LTNs or 20mph speed limits and many other poor policies.”

“Climate change is happening and we need to mitigate its effects but that cannot be done by making everyone live 15 minutes from home or to penalise commuters in areas with little public transport.

“What changes we need to make must be paced with public opinion, not imposed arbitrarily on wallets coping with the cost of living.”

Tarun Ghulati also criticised Tory Mayoral candidate Susan Hall.

He claimed that she failed to block the Mayor’s controversial policies despite being an assembly member for London for many years.

Ghulati declared: “I would not be a candidate for Mayor if the political candidates were doing what they should be.

“They have let us down. This is all about London and Londoners.”

Ghulati’s major policy planks also include introducing policies to create more affordable housing, minimising council tax, increasing focus on tourism to the UK capital and ensuring free school meals.