Reform UK's London mayoral candidate pledges 'Tokyo on steroids' tech-led City Hall
Laila Cunningham, Reform UK's candidate for the 2028 London mayoral election, set out plans to use technology and AI on policing, transport, housing and city services, and criticised Sadiq Khan's record on crime.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Laila Cunningham, Reform UK's candidate for London Mayor, said London would be run "like Tokyo on steroids" if she wins the 2028 election, with technology used to cut bureaucracy. Evening StandardN “London will be run like “Tokyo on steroids” if Reform UK win the 2028 Mayoral election, the party’s candidate has claimed.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “promising to turn London into "Tokyo on steroids" with an automated Tube network and AI-driven policing” Read at Daily Express ↗ Mixed · 2She set out the plans in an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, and the Daily Express attributes the "Tokyo on steroids" remark to an interview on MyLondon's podcast, The London Brief. Evening StandardN “Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Ms Cunningham said” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “during an interview on MyLondon's podcast, The London Brief” Read at Daily Express ↗ Centre · 1Cunningham, a former Conservative councillor and Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor, was announced as Reform's candidate in January 2026; the Evening Standard says she defected to Reform last year. Evening StandardN “Laila Cunningham, who was announced as the City Hall hopeful in January”“following her defection last year” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1On policing, she pledged to double the number of visible officers, reverse the Met Police's closure or reduced hours of 24/7 front counters, and carry out a "day one" audit of how every officer spends their time, including how technology could cut paperwork. Evening StandardN “she has pledged to double the number of visible officers on the streets.”“doing a “day one” audit of how every police officer spends their time” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1She criticised City Hall's decision to block the Met's planned contract with Palantir, which City Hall cited "serious concerns" over the procurement process; the firm has also been criticised over its work with the Israeli military and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Cunningham said: "Whether you agree with Palantir or not, I want to find the best tech provider to streamline paperwork." Evening StandardN “block the Met’s planned contract with Palantir due to “serious concerns” over the procurement process”“Whether you agree with Palantir or not, I want to find the best tech provider to streamline paperwork” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2On transport and housing, she said she would not let transport unions "hold London to ransom", threatening to automate the Underground to avoid strikes, and would look to Hong Kong for high-density housebuilding near Tube stations and transport hubs, using AI to streamline planning. Evening StandardN “threatening to automate the London Underground instead to avoid strikes” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “accelerate housebuilding based on Hong Kong-style high-density transit developments” Read at Daily Express ↗
Centre · 1She also promised to cut the number of clicks needed to pay the Congestion Charge online, saying she would reduce it from ten to five and then two. Evening StandardN “If it’s ten, I’m going to reduce it to five, and then I’m going to reduce it to two.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Cunningham said Londoners feel unsafe, that safety is measured by offences such as rape, robbery and phone theft rather than only murders, and that the Mayor cherry-picks crime statistics; the Standard notes Sir Sadiq Khan has pointed to falls in violent crime, knife crime and homicides. Evening StandardN ““The safety of the city is not defined by how many people are murdered,” she said.”“Sir Sadiq Khan has boasted of his record in reducing violent crime” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Right · 1Khan has been Mayor since 2016 and won a third term in May 2024; the next election is scheduled for 4 May 2028, and the Express reports that former Foreign Secretary Sir James Cleverly has left the Tory shadow cabinet to seek the Conservative nomination. Daily ExpressR “scheduled for May 4, 2028”“Former Foreign Secretary Sir James Cleverly threw a spanner in the works after stepping down from Kemi Badenoch's Tory shadow cabinet” Read at Daily Express ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- A detailed interview-based report led by the candidate's tech plans, with her crime arguments set against Khan's record on falling violent crime.
- Emphasis
- Her crime and safety remarks in full, specific pledges (front counters, officer audit, Congestion Charge clicks) and the Palantir controversy.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Cleverly or other rival candidates.
- Charged language
- “hold London to ransom”“laborious”
- For example
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“While Sir Sadiq Khan has boasted of his record in reducing violent crime” — Evening Standard
“Ms Cunningham claims that, as Mayor, she would not allow transport unions to “hold London to ransom”” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents Reform's 'radical vision' as a challenge to a failing Khan-led City Hall, with a shorter account of the policy pillars.
- Emphasis
- The 'Tokyo on steroids' slogan, AI policing and the wider contest, including Cleverly's Conservative bid.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits Khan's record on falling violent crime and the police counter and officer-audit pledges; gives less on City Hall's reasons for blocking Palantir.
- Charged language
- “radical vision”“slammed London under Sadiq Khan”“plagued by rising street crime”
- For example
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“Reform UK has laid out a radical vision to overhaul City Hall after the party's Mayoral candidate slammed London under Sadiq Khan.” — Daily Express
“plagued by rising street crime” — Daily Express
What every side reports
- Cunningham is Reform UK's candidate for the 2028 London mayoral election and said she would run London like 'Tokyo on steroids'.
- Her plans include automating the Tube, AI to speed up planning and housebuilding, less police paperwork and criticism of City Hall's block on the Met's Palantir contract.
- She was announced as candidate in January 2026 and is a former Conservative councillor and CPS prosecutor.
Laila Cunningham person
Says London is governed by laborious bureaucracy and feels unsafe, and that embracing technology to the maximum will free police, speed housing and improve services.
“a Reform UK-led City Hall would “embrace tech to the maximum”” — Evening Standard
“I want London to be a safe city of the future - Tokyo on steroids” — Daily Express
Sadiq Khan person
Has pointed to his record reducing violent crime, including falls in knife crime and homicides; Cunningham says he cherry-picks statistics.
“Sir Sadiq Khan has boasted of his record in reducing violent crime” — Evening Standard
Reform UK party
Is positioning itself as a major challenger in the capital, with Cunningham as its early-announced candidate.
“as Nigel Farage’s party makes a serious push to establish a major presence in the capital” — Daily Express
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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London Reform candidate vows to run capital 'like Tokyo on steroids'
Neutral Reports the candidate's plans and quotes at length, with Khan's crime record noted for balance.
Right1 article
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Reform UK reveal plan to turn London into ‘Tokyo on steroids’ if Sadiq Khan is defeated
Mixed Frames Reform's plan as a bold alternative to Khan, leading with the slogan and criticism of his record.
- 2 Oct 19:47 First Daily ExpressR Reform UK reveal plan to turn London into ‘Tokyo on steroids’ if Sadiq Khan is defeated
- 3 Oct 23:09 +27h 23m Evening StandardN London Reform candidate vows to run capital 'like Tokyo on steroids'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.