In London, Uber Faces Its Day of Reckoning

Back in September, London Mayor Sadiq Khan made a headline-grabbing stand against Uber: He canceled the ride-hailing app’s license to operate in the city, citing among its grounds Uber’s inadequate working conditions and failures to report sexual assault. But the ban has remained intentionally un-implemented during a long appeal process: Ubers by the thousands still ply the capital’s streets every day. Many people assumed that the city’s move was really about ramping up pressure before cutting a deal—not genuinely leaving the 3.5-million-user strong London market Uber-free.

But the company’s appeal is looming on June 25, and Uber is starting to look a little nervous. Last week, it applied for a shorter interim 18-month license, perhaps to give itself more of an opportunity to demonstrate to the city that it has turned over a new leaf. In the meantime, it has also unleashed a major nationwide publicity campaign to woo the public—a charm offensive that may now be on the verge of backfiring.