This is LBC from Global.

Leading Britain's conversation,

Speak to Sadiq.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, takes your calls.

It's just after 10 o'clock on March the 12th.

This is Sariq Khan, bringing you your latest edition of Speak to Sariq on LBC. I'm here for the next 30 minutes or so taking your call. So this is your chance.

To put any question you like to me, the mayor of London, and I'll do my best to answer. So the numbers for you to get your questions on the air are 03456060973, or you can email

Salique atlbc.co.com.uk, or you can text on 84850. Don't forget, you can also watch

speak to Salik on the website, lbc.com.uk, or live on the LBC Facebook page. Good morning, James.

Good morning, Mr. Mayor. No prizes for guessing what we will begin with.

I'm going to exercise presenters' prerogative here to steer you immediately towards coronavirus.

It's clearly a public health crisis, probably on an unprecedented scale.

And it is clear, although neither right nor wrong, only time will tell, that this government,

the current government, has elected to pursue a slightly different path from most comparable

countries, actually, not just European countries.

I know that you were excluded from the COBRA meeting originally.

Is that still the situation as the mayor of a city with nine million

people in it? It is for the time being yet. Okay. Does that surprise you? It's a bit odd. I mean,

for the reasons you said we're a global city. I'd argue Europe's only global city.

Have they given you an explanation? Have they said sort of? No, they haven't, but the good

news is I've got access to the experts that I advise

the Prime Minister around Cobra from the Chief Medical Officer to the Chief Scientific Advisor

...