Nine candidates are running to be the next Mayor of London in what is one of the most keenly contested mayoral elections in recent history. This article will provide an overview of the election, the main candidates and their key policies.
Overview of the 2021 London Mayor Election
2021 London Mayor Election: Everything You Need to Know
The 2021 London mayoral election will be held on 6 May 2021, coinciding with the first round of voting for the Greater London Authority (GLA), and will elect the mayor of London, England. It will be the fifth election for the position of mayor since it was created in 2000. The incumbent mayor is Sadiq Khan from the Labour Party, who was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
The GLA is composed of two parts: The Mayoralty of London, responsible for executive functions; and the 25-member Greater London Assembly (GLA), which acts as a scrutinising chamber and reviews mayoral decisions. The GLA oversees a large budget managed by Transport for London, policing through Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Commissioner Cressida Dick QPM and fire service through Commissioner Dame Dany Cotton DCB QFSM.
The current mayor lost his majority in City Hall in March 2021 following a series of resignations from his party over Brexit disagreements
UKIP chose not to contest the mayoral election.[15] An Opinium poll published on 7 April reported that Khan had an eleven-point lead over Bailey among first preference voters at 44% to 33%. The poll also found that 48% thought Khan would make the best mayor compared to 31% thinking Bailey would.
Candidates and Policies
London is gearing up for its mayoral election on May 6, 2021. This contest is especially important as it comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. Here’s everything you need to know about the candidates and their policies.
Incumbent Mayor Sadiq Khan is seeking re-election for a second term. He is running on his record of delivering improved public transport, more affordable housing, and tackling knife crime in London. His main rivals are Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey and Liberal Democrat candidate Luisa Porritt.
Shaun Bailey has been critical of Khan’s record on crime and believes that he has not done enough to support businesses during the pandemic. Luisa Porritt has promised to make London a “beacon of hope” after Brexit and has pledged to invest in mental health services, climate change initiatives, and community policing.
The Green Party is also fielding a candidate, Sian Berry, who is campaigning on a platform of making London a zero-carbon city by 2030. There are also 26 other candidates registered to run in the election – including ex-porn star Mia Khalifa!
Whoever wins this year’s election will have their work cut out for them addressing the challenges posed by COVID-19 and Brexit – but they will also have an opportunity to shape London’s future for years to come.
Implications of the Election
The 2021 London Mayor election is just around the corner, and it promises to be a close race. With incumbent mayor Sadiq Khan running for re-election, and rising star Shaun Bailey also in the running, there are sure to be some implications of the election. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s at stake in this year’s mayoral race.
Healthcare: One of the biggest issues facing Londoners is access to healthcare. The NHS is under immense pressure, and waiting times for appointments and treatments are often unacceptably long. Whoever is elected as mayor will have a huge impact on how the NHS functions in London, and whether or not residents have access to adequate healthcare.
Housing: Another big issue in London is housing affordability. Sky-high rents make it difficult for many people to find a place to live that they can afford, while house prices continue to rise out of reach for most first-time buyers. The next mayor will have a say on planning decisions that could help alleviate the housing crisis, so this is definitely an issue worth paying attention to during the campaigning period.
Transport: Getting around London can be a challenge at the best of times, so transport is always a hot topic during mayoral elections. This year’s candidates have differing views on how best to improve transport links in London – from building new cycle lanes
