Khan slammed for £2.3m investment to help creative businesses instead of supplying PPE for TfL staff

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been slammed by Conservative Candidate, Shaun Bailey, for announcing a £2.3 million investment to help creative businesses instead of spending the budget on Personal Protective Equipment for Transport for London (TfL) workers.

Khan announced the funding to help culture, music and arts venues who are unable to access Government support.

But with a number of TfL workers, notably bus drivers, falling ill, and in some cases passing away from the COVID-19 virus, Khan's decision has now come under fire.

Following Khan's announcement, Bailey, said, via his Twitter account: "What would you choose? £2.3 million for concert venues or £2.1 million for PPE (masks and gloves) to protect 60,000 TfL workers, for 30 days. @SadiqKhan has made his choice. I know what mine would be."

Shaun Bailey has said that he has found a supplier of KN95 masks and vinyl gloves which are "entirely sufficient for the task" and has been offering the Mayor the details of a supplier for weeks.

London's Mayor said the funding would be used to help support "grassroots music and LGBTQ+ venues, creative workspaces and independent cinemas stay afloat".

Shaun Bailey wasn't the only one to come down hard on the Mayor's announcement, with a number of members of the public slamming the decision.

One Twitter user, wrote: "But how will people travel round London to see these if TfL transport staff who would normally drive them are no longer around due to lack of PPE?

"You really don't get the mood of the public do you? What funding for crime which will go up again after lockdown?"

Another simply said: "Bought PPE for your staff including TfL and bus drivers yet?"

It has been reported that more than twenty Transport for London bus drivers have died after contracting the COVID-19 virus.