Berry is a vocal critic of Uber. She has called on London to use a terrorism law to stop Uber drivers parking outside St Pancras International Station. Berry also said that "Uber tried to present themselves as is a car-sharing app, but really it’s more likely cheap taxis." And Berry has also lamented the rise of private hire vehicles, which are used by companies like Uber.
Boff has made it clear that he supports Uber. In an interview with City AM in August, Boff said that the Mayor of London "has let the market determine the correct number of private-hire vehicles," and went on to explain that "there are some [black cab drivers] who think that they don’t need to change, that laws should be there so that they don’t have to change. That’s not acceptable.”
Galloway has the most radical policy on Uber out of all the London mayoral candidates. He said in June that he wants to "run Uber out of town, if I can. And if I can’t, I will make sure they start to obey the law, the law which black cabs and minicabs are forced to obey, but which Uber is shredding in front of our eyes."
Galloway has also said that "Uber represents exactly the same type of low-tax, unregulated, cutthroat capitalism endorsed by this government."
Goldsmith is likely to become the Conservative Party's candidate for London mayor. He's not a fan of Uber, but hasn't criticised it as much as other politicians in London. Goldsmith said at a Westminster Hall debate that London's black cabs "will be extinct in a matter of years" if Uber gets its way.
Goldsmith tends to praise black cabs rather than openly criticise Uber. "I think nothing personally of depositing any one of my children in a black cab at any time knowing absolutely that they’d be safe,” he said. “And it’s hard to put a number on all that, but it is worth something and the tragedy is that their days could well be numbered."
However, The Register reports that Goldsmith has called upon the UK to look into Uber's finances:
Uber enjoys a significant price advantage by not paying UK corporation tax, because jobs are booked through the Netherlands. Despite Uber being a $50bn (£32 billion) company, its drivers earn far less than the London living wage; in some cases, they earn a lot less than the minimum wage.
Conservative mayoral candidate Stephen Greenhalgh has a complicated position on Uber. He explained in a statement that "I like this technology and it will not go away," however he went on to say that "Uber London should pay their VAT in this country rather than a 7% rate in the Netherlands via Uber BV."
Greenhalgh also thinks that Uber should abide by all private hire laws, and that similar technology should be made available to black drivers.
Kamall hasn't spoken at length about his views on Uber, but it's safe to assume that he supports the company. He was photographed with two Uber executives in April, and spoke out in support of competition between Uber and London's black cabs in September.
Labour's candidate for London mayor, Sadiq Khan, is an outspoken critic of Uber. Khan told The Guardian in June that he would operate a "one strike and you’re out" policy when it comes to ride-sharing services. If one driver is found to have improper paperwork, then Khan wants to suspend the entire service.
Khan has also accused Uber of "charging Londoners three times the normal fare today to get around the city" during a tube strike, and also referred to the company as a "problem." He's supportive of black cab drivers, and has said that "we must ensure we protect Londoners and our historic taxi trade," making it clear that he is "on the side of the back cab driver."
Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon is not a fan of Uber. The Guardian reports that Pidgeon wrote to London Mayor Boris Johnson in June to complain about companies like Uber. She said that "public confidence in the safety of private-hire vehicles is undermined by rogue operators whose business practices facilitate or enable the flouting of the law."
Upkar Rai is The National Liberal Party's candidate for London mayor. He's an IT worker living in Essex and running for the fringe party. So what are his views on Uber? Well, Rai is the only London mayoral candidate who is an Uber driver.
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