Sadiq Khan's globe-trotting £132,000-a-year London 'night czar' quits

Sadiq Khan's £132,000-a-year London 'night czar' Amy Lamé has quit after nearly eight years in the job. 

The comedian will stand down from her role at City Hall at the end of this month, saying it was the 'right time to move on'.

However, it comes after the night czar job, created by Mr Khan in 2016, sparked anger from critics. 

Earlier this year, Ms Lamé insisted she was worth her six-figure salary despite receiving backlash over City Hall-funded trips to Australia, Italy and Spain. 

Industry experts also previously questioned whether she was 'value for money' after figures showed London's nightlife was falling behind cities such as Liverpool and Birmingham. 

Nevertheless, Ms Lamé will walk out with the Mayor of London's thanks ringing in her ears. 

Mr Khan responded to the news, saying: 'I'd like to thank Amy for everything that she's done as the capital's first-ever night czar.

'She has worked hard to help London's nightlife through huge challenges, including the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, and I know she will continue to be a key part of the industry going forward.'

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It is currently unclear whether Ms Lamé will be replaced with a new London 'night czar'.

She said: 'It has been a huge honour to be London's – and the UK's – first-ever night czar, but after eight years I believe that it is the right time for me to move on.

'It has been a real privilege to serve Londoners and deliver for the mayor, and I'm deeply proud of what has been achieved in the face of so many challenges.'

Ms Lamé was offered the job in 2016 after she promised to halt the flow of venue closures in the capital. 

Yet, in just the past three years alone, 1,100 bars and clubs plus around 100 London pubs annually have shut. 

MailOnline also previously revealed that the comedian, writer and broadcaster took at least 12 foreign jaunts as part of her Night Czar role in the years since 2017. 

Trips to 'build partnerships', study nightlife and attend conferences have taken her to Mumbai, Melbourne and Sydney, Boston, Bologna, Berlin and Paris as well as Tallinn and even Lviv in Ukraine. 

Most of Ms Lamé's trips abroad were not paid for by the taxpayer and were instead funded through private donations.

But according to her expenses, for a trip to Berlin, she did claim for flights and accommodation.

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And earlier this year, she received an annual pay rise, in line with other staff at the Greater London authority, taking her salary to £132,000-a-year.

A spokesperson for Mr Khan previously said she was doing important work to help London's venues and nighttime economy at a time of staff shortages and rising rents.

Ms Lamé and the Mayor of London are understood to be 'mates'. She has supported and fundraised for Labour and had her own hopes of becoming a MP before landing the plum job at City Hall.

Her left-wing politics have caused controversy in the past and when Margaret Thatcher died in 2013 she tweeted: 'Ding dong the witch is dead'.

In other sweets she also called Ruth Davidson 'scum' and accused David Cameron of 'using his dead son as a pawn'.

In 2020 she was also accused of not declaring £1,000 after hosting a drag event.