Mayor Of London Election: Who's running and what are their policies?
We outline the main policies of the people running to be Mayor of the capital.
On Thursday 2nd May, Londoners will be going to the polls to vote for who they want to be the Mayor of the capital, and in the London Assembly.
The current mayor, Sadiq Khan, is looking to win a third term. If he wins, he would be the only Mayor to serve three terms - with previous mayors Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson only serving two terms each.
His main rival is the Conservative candidate Susan Hall, who has served as a member of the London Assembly since 2017 - and a councillor on Harrow London Borough Council since 2006.
The Mayor Of London is one of the country's most important political roles - and oversees the governance of the likes of the Metropolitan Police and Transport For London.
Ahead of election day, we've outlined each candidate and their main policies. The results of the election are expected to be declared on Saturday 4th May.
Sadiq Khan - Labour
Sadiq Khan has served as Mayor since 2016, and is considered to be on the 'soft-left' of the Labour Party ideologically. Born in Tooting, the former lawyer served in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet before becoming Mayor. He is looking to seek re-election for the third time.
Mr Khan's manifesto includes:
- Working to make universal free school meals permanent for all state primary school children
- Building 40,000 new council homes by the end of the decade
- Freezing Transport For London fares until at least 2025
- Putting an extra 1300 neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs on the streets
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Sadiq Khan explained why he wants to be Mayor, saying "This is a close two-horse race. A vote for me is a vote for free school meals, for affordable transport, for council homes, for investment in youth clubs, for someone who unites our city rather than divides it."
Susan Hall - Conservative
Sadiq Khan's main rival is Conservative candidate Susan Hall, who has had a long involvement in politics in the capital. Born in Middlesex, Hall became a councillor on Harrow London Borough Council in 2006, and became a member of the London Assembly in 2017. She led the London Conservatives on the Assembly from December 2019 to May last year.
Susan Hall's manifesto policies include:
- Scrapping the ULEZ expansion and pay-per-mile on day one
- Recruiting 1,500 more police officers
- Building more family homes that Londoners can afford
- Promoting more green choices for Londoners
In a video, Susan Hall said "I've listened and I've listened to people from every borough In London, and it is very clear, we cannot be ignored for another 4 years. To be ignored is to be rendered invisible. When I am Mayor, you will not be ignored, you will not be invisible, you will be heard."
Zoe Garbett - Green:
Zoe Garbett is the Green Party's candidate in this year's election. She has previously worked in the NHS and is a councillor for Dalston Ward in Hackney.
Her policies include:
- Demanding rent control powers for London
- Working towards one single, low fare for all public transport
- Promise a real Living Wage for London, estimated to be £16.14
Zoe said "I want to make this city more affordable, much safer and I want to tackle the housing crisis. I've committed to extending free school meals from primary school children to secondary school children - I'll always be on the side of renters and workers."
Rob Blackie - Liberal Democrat
The candidate standing for the Liberal Democrats is Rob Blackie. He's a businessman who lives in Herne Hill with his wife and two children. In 2003, Blackie was attacked in Vauxhall - with surgeons giving him a titanium neck.
His policies include:
- Fixing the Metropolitan Police
- Working to stop sewage being dumped into rivers
- Improving public transport in Outer London
Rob Blackie said "my top priority as Liberal Democrat Mayor will be to fix the Met, get police back on the front line and get police focussed on the crimes that matter most."
Howard Cox - Reform:
Reform's candidate, Howard Cox, said "We're all sick to death of seeing headlines regarding violent crime, particularly knife crime. As London Mayor I will triple the number of Bobby's on the beat."
He also stands for:
- Scrapping ULEZ throughout London
- Tripling affordable housing bills
Other candidates include
Amy Gallagher - Social Democratic Party - who said "Don’t divide us! I will stop Woke political correctness across London. I want everyone to be seen as individuals and to be treated equally. Londoner’s should be judged on their character and not the colour of their skin. I will promote Women’s sex-based rights and gay rights. I will ensure the police are completely impartial and do not favour some groups over others."
Femy Amin - Animal Welfare Party - who said: "I'll prioritise the well being of all residents, humans and animals. I'll incentivise public and active transport, create affordable sustainble homes and green spaces...I'm committed to addressing the inequalities faced by so many Londoners to make London an inclusive city for all."
Count Binface - Count Binface for Mayor Of London - who said ".Why am I standing? To celebrate and defend British democracy, including the right we all have to stand for election, no matter how idiotic the get-up. Don't worry, I'm not naming names. But I'm not just a pretty face. I also have the best manifesto, including price-capping croissants, building at least one affordable house, and making Thames Water bosses take a dip in the Thames to see how they like it."
Brian Rose - London Real Party - who said "I'm a proud Brit with an American accent... ever since I last ran back in 21' the City that I love has spiralled even further into chaos with knife crime up 49% and over 1000 murders committed on the current Mayor's watch. I have a plan to put more police on the streets, to reopen the 37 police stations he closed, to abolish the ULEZ, and I stand for freedom."
Andreas Michli - Independent - Mr Michli's policies include enacting radical reforms to fix our 'broken' police force, abolishing ULEZ and getting a handle of Transport For London's finances.
Natalie Campbell - Independent- Natalie Campbell's policies include good homes, safe streets and better lives
Nick Scanlon - Britain First- who stands for abolishing ULEZ and the congestion charge, deporting illegal immigrants and housing homeless veterans
Tarun Ghulati - Independent - Mr Ghulati's policies include urgently creating dedicated units to tackle crime, reopening police stations and increasing focus on tourism