{
  "id": 19327828,
  "title": "A London mayor shouldn’t be squeamish about wealth",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/a-london-mayor-shouldnt-be-squeamish-about-wealth",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-10T11:25:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/a-london-mayor-shouldnt-be-squeamish-about-wealth/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Conservative candidate for London Mayor, Sara Gezdari, asserts that her party's leadership should not shy away from acknowledging the importance of wealth creation. Drawing from her own personal experience, Gezdari recounts the collapse of pyramid schemes in her native Albania, which resulted in lawlessness and the loss of savings. This experience fuels her belief in the necessity of actively building prosperity, rather than taking it for granted.\n\nGeszdari highlights that London's potential for success was evident in the past, and it is imperative that the city maintains its foundation for thriving communities. She attributes her own career growth to the city's social contract, where hard work leads to aspirations becoming attainable. She believes that the current administration of London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour Party is hindering this dream for many young, ambitious individuals.\n\nGeszdari emphasizes the necessity of enterprise and wealth generation as a means to create opportunities in the city. She explains that private investors will only invest in projects if they expect to make a profit, and this principle is demonstrated by the housing market, where housebuilders require profits to build homes and invest in further development. Gezdari criticizes Labour for their approach to business, stating that excessive taxation and overregulation are driving successful businesses to relocate, such as the exodus of London-listed companies to New York.\n\nMoreover, Gezdari points out that London's financial sector requires a champion rather than a squeamish ideologue. The city's tax burden on banks is significantly higher than in comparable cities like Frankfurt and New York, and she argues that Labour is unlikely to resist their inclination towards raising taxes. She believes that the current administration is only exacerbating the situation, threatening major projects such as JP Morgan's Canary Wharf development.\n\nGeszdari argues against the notion of pitting London against Manchester, urging the city to focus on its international competition with cities like Paris, Milan, Tokyo, and New York. She advocates for showcasing London as a thriving ambassador for Britain, fostering opportunities for the brightest and best due to a pro-business and pro-growth approach. Gezdari's vision for London includes rebuilding the foundations of the city, such as ensuring police protection, building affordable homes, improving transportation, and treating public funds with respect. She emphasizes that these goals can only be achieved through the jobs, investment, and revenue generated by enterprise.",
  "summary": "I’m not embarrassed by wealth creation. London’s next mayor shouldn’t be either, writes Conservative candidate Sara Gezdari.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}