With three by-elections approaching, the race between the now-two Tory hopefuls vying to take on Sadiq Khan in the 2024 mayoral election has taken something of a backseat.
But following the exit of former No10 advisor Daniel Korski, the odds have shortened for both those standing.
Former Conservative group leader in the London Assembly Susan Hall is pitching herself against rival Tory candidate Moz Hossain as the no-nonsense, law and order option.
Passion for policing
A former hair salon owner, entrepreneur and council leader, Hall is a robust presence at City Hall debates.
She’s keen to be seen as taking the mayor to task on his record, particularly on policing, which she tells City A.M. would be her top priority if elected.
“My passion in life is policing – always has been,” she says. “I do think things are getting less and less safe.
“We don’t see police around like we used to, we don’t see response cars, or blue lights. And certainly from talking to residents, people are feeling less and less safe, especially women.
“Many years ago, I was threatened – somebody threatened to kill me. And it suddenly occurred to me that actually to feel safe is more important.
“I’d rather feel hungry than really unsafe, really, it’s just a knot in your stomach, you just feel so vulnerable.”
Her experiences have clearly informed her campaign with ‘Safer with Susan’ literature echoing her focus on law enforcement.
She has pledged to take £200m from the City Hall budget to fund a ‘low level’ policing unit to tackle burglaries.
“If you’re burgled it’s not low level, you feel violated,” she adds. “It’s absolutely my first priority.”
Protecting small businesses
Safety is an area she believes crosses into the economy, affecting small businesses and communities.
“If you’ve got a shop in an area that’s got nothing but gangs running around, you’re going to lose customers, because they’re not going to want to come into your area,” Hall says.
“I do think that the main thrust of what I want to do will help businesses, I want to make the streets safer,” she says.
Listening, she says, is crucial, rather than assuming you know what’s needed.
“It should always be an open dialogue, talk to people, see what they need, see how you can help. The mayor doesn’t always know best… you mustn’t ever assume you know.”
The city’s finances, Hall says, would also be safe in her hands.
She tells me: “If you are spending somebody else’s money, which is what the [London Assembly] budget is, then you look after it.
“I mean, I’m shocking with my own money, I will just go buy things and buy things for the kids all the time.
“[But] if it’s somebody else’s money, oh my god. I’m always able to handle other people’s money because it’s not mine.”
‘Doesn’t like women’
Khan and Hall disagree on much. ULEZ aside, they’ve butted heads on everything from crime to housing during often testy exchanges.
Her pitch that he’s afraid of her, though, is an interesting one. What’s the thinking behind it?
“He clearly doesn’t like women,” Hall responds. “He absolutely doesn’t like me, you’ve only got to see the videos of it. He literally snarls. He doesn’t like loud women, who will be heard.”
She continues: “One of the great reasons for picking me is I know how City Hall works. I know how the boroughs work, because I’ve been a leader of one. I know how the whole mechanism works.
“And I have got the ability to challenge him at least once a month between now and the election. And I have been doing that for six years, I’ve never been a pushover.
“He needs to be called out on these things. And I’m not frightened of calling him out.”
Khan’s office declined to comment, but a Labour source close to the mayor hit back, describing it as a “desperate and nonsense attack”.
“Sadiq has been a proud feminist in City Hall, leading the way in areas such as equal pay, combating violence against women and girls, and introducing ground-breaking policies supporting women with the menopause in the workplace,” the source said.
“It’s even more ridiculous coming from Susan Hall who has championed Donald Trump and his abhorrent views.”