Key Points
- The Conviction: The Mayor of London, Lord Sadiq Khan, was convicted and fined in his absence last month by a magistrate sitting in a private hearing of the Single Justice Procedure at Herefordshire Magistrates’ Court.
- The Penalties: The Labour politician was ordered to pay a £220 fine, £85 in legal costs, and a £35.84 bill for unpaid vehicle tax, bringing the total court penalty to £340.84.
- The Vehicle: The prosecution brought by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) centered on a 24-year-old blue Nissan Micra—first registered in 2002—whose annual tax expired in September of the previous year.
- City Hall’s Response: City Hall officials and a mayoral spokesperson insisted that the vehicle does not belong to Lord Khan or Transport for London (TfL), stating emphatically, “This is a scam, which is a crime”.
- Context of Protests: The incident follows widespread backlash and protests from motorists angered by the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) across all of London, with some critics previously threatening to register vehicles under the mayor’s name.
- Administrative Blunder: Court records reviewed by the Press Association revealed that DVLA warning letters regarding the unpaid tax were mistakenly sent to a building housing Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, Bar & Rooftop in Stratford, rather than the nearby TfL headquarters.
- Current Status: Following inquiries by the Press Association, the DVLA has confirmed it is reviewing the case and investigating the prosecution’s circumstances, while legal avenues are explored to reopen and overturn the conviction.
London (Extra London News) September 2, 2026 — The Mayor of London, Lord Sadiq Khan of Tooting, has found himself at the center of an extraordinary legal and administrative blunder after being criminally convicted and fined through a fast-track court system for failing to tax a vintage vehicle that he maintains he neither owns nor has ever driven. The 55-year-old Labour politician was tried and found guilty in absentia last month by magistrate Surinder Gidda, sitting in a private session of the Single Justice Procedure at Herefordshire Magistrates’ Court, following a prosecution launched by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
How Did Sadiq Khan Become Involved in a Car Tax Conviction?
As reported by the PA News Agency, court records indicate that the DVLA initiated criminal proceedings after the tax on a blue 24-year-old Nissan Micra—originally registered in 2002—lapsed in September of the previous year. Government databases reportedly listed Lord Khan’s name and date of birth as the registered keeper of the vehicle, which was flagged as untaxed during an automated check on January 24.
Because statutory notices sent by the DVLA in January went unanswered, the matter was escalated to the controversial Single Justice Procedure—a fast-track court mechanism designed for low-level offences where magistrates deliberate alone behind closed doors. Magistrate Surinder Gidda formally convicted Lord Khan on August 18 in his absence, imposing a £220 fine, £85 in prosecution costs, and ordering the settlement of the £35.84 outstanding tax bill, amounting to a total penalty of £340.84 due within 28 days.
What Did City Hall Say About the Alleged Scam?
Following investigative queries raised by the Press Association, a fiercely worded defense was issued by City Hall. As reported by the PA News Agency, a mayoral spokesperson stated unequivocally that the Labour politician had been targeted by fraudsters.
“This is a scam, which is a crime,”
the mayoral spokesperson declared, as quoted by the PA News Agency.
“It’s not the first time the mayor has been victim of a scam involving people falsely stating that Sadiq is the owner of a vehicle. Such behaviour is illegal, and the DVLA are aware.”
As further highlighted by The Guardian and The Independent, City Hall officials reiterated that the blue Nissan Micra has no association whatsoever with either Lord Khan or Transport for London (TfL), where the mayor serves as chairman.
Is There a Connection to the Ulez Expansion Backlash?
Journalists covering the unfolding story have drawn parallels between the fraudulent vehicle registration and the intense public opposition faced by the London mayor. As reported by The Guardian, the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) to encompass the entirety of Greater London triggered intense demonstrations and protests from motorists. During the height of the friction, various disgruntled drivers publicly voiced intentions to register their vehicles under the mayor’s personal details to saddle him with daily levy charges.
Journalists note that this climate of public animosity may have provided an opening for bad actors to maliciously manipulate official vehicle registration records, resulting in the wrongful criminal prosecution.
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Why Were the Court Notices Sent to a Gordon Ramsay Restaurant?
A bizarre administrative error further compounded the controversy, ensuring that the Mayor of London remained entirely oblivious to the active criminal proceedings against him. Court documents reviewed by the PA News Agency revealed a glaring blunder in how official correspondence was handled.
While Lord Khan executes his duties as chair of TfL from the organisation’s official corporate headquarters located on the 9th floor of 5 Endeavour Square in Stratford, the DVLA dispatched its statutory warning letters to “9 Endeavour Square”. This nearby building is occupied on its upper levels by Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, Bar & Rooftop, meaning notices regarding impending legal action and subsequent conviction records were delivered straight to the restaurant’s premises rather than executive municipal offices.
As detailed by the PA News Agency, the Herefordshire magistrate court’s final notice threatening increased penalties, bailiffs, or an arrest warrant was similarly mailed to the commercial dining venue.
What Action Are Authorities Taking Next?
In the wake of media scrutiny, the regulatory apparatus has moved to re-examine the validity of the judgment. As reported by the PA News Agency, DVLA officials confirmed that they are actively reviewing the case and investigating the procedural milestones that led to the wrongful conviction.
The case has also cast a sharp spotlight back onto the Single Justice Procedure, a mechanism introduced in 2015 that has faced repeated heavy criticism from legal watchdogs and civil liberties groups over “conveyor-belt justice”, where thousands of low-level cases are processed rapidly in private without open court scrutiny.
According to legal analysts cited by the PA News Agency and The Independent, Lord Khan now possesses the option to formally petition to reopen the case due to lack of proper notification or appear personally in court to challenge the conviction, clear his name, and formally request that the DVLA withdraw the prosecution.
