Mayor's ambition to take over Southern 'is wrong', says Rail Minister

Sadiq Khan's hopes of taking over the troubled Southern rail franchise were today dealt a blow by a government minister.

Rail Minister Paul Maynard described the proposal as 'wrong' in a letter to south London MPs.

Mr Maynard also ruled out government intervention in the bitter dispute between Southern's owner GTR and rail union RMT.

Hundreds of thousands of commuters are facing a week of disruption from a strike by guards.