SADIQ Khan has been accused of hypocrisy after transport workers spent £5,000 of taxpayers’ cash on junk food last year.
Nanny-state killjoys at Transport for London have banned fatty food adverts on the entire network as part of the Labour mayor’s war on obesity.
But the Sun on Sunday can reveal transport workers spent nearly £3,000 on Greggs alone.
Mayor of London Sadiq KhanGetty
Alamy£3,000 was spent on Greggs[/caption]
Workers spent £850 on McDonald’s, nearly £600 on Domino’s Pizza, £300 on Nando’s and £270 on burger chain Five Guys.
They also expensed £180 on Papa John’s, £95 on Pizza Express, £50 on Subway and £20 on Burger King. And an extra £4,300 on meals and refreshments where the business name was redacted.
“Sadiq Khan’s hypocrisy knows no bounds,” Tory Mayoral candidate Susan Hall said.
“While hectoring Londoners about obesity and banning fast food ads on the Tube, his own staff at TfL are forking out thousands of taxpayers’ money on the likes of McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Nandos and Five Guys. I will get a grip of TfL’s finances and put a stop to this nonsense.”
Tory MP Louie French added: “Whilst I would never judge anyone for having a KFC or a McDonalds, I don’t believe that London taxpayers should be paying the Big Mac bills.”
TfL’s junk food ban has landed some companies in bizarre situations.
A poster promoting a West End play was banned because it featured a cake and an artisanal cheese advert was banned for promoting unhealthy diet.
West Dorset Tory MP Chris Loder added: “Seems like Sadiq wants everyone else to give up the fast food, whilst making them pay for his staff.”
A source close to Mr Khan said: “This a desperate attack from a Tory candidate completely devoid of ideas.
“TfL has a workforce of over 27,000 people, and these expenses relate to exceptional circumstances when staff have worked on major incidents and events outside normal working hours – often throughout the night.
“It’s about giving hard-working staff easier access to food out of hours – an odd thing for the Tory candidate to be so angry about.”
A TfL spokesperson said: “TfL staff work night and day in order to keep London moving, and these expenses relate to when staff have worked on managing major incidents and events, outside of standard working hours or on Bank Holidays when access to food outlets is limited.
“Staff can only expense food in exceptional circumstances and these expenses reflect the total costs across the year for the whole workforce of over 27,000 people. Every expense must comply with TfL’s expenses policy with prior approval from the relevant manager.”
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