Labour’s Sadiq Khan has been elected mayor of London for a third term, defeating Conservative challenger Susan Hall, a historic victory as the British capital has never been led by the same person for three consecutive terms. And the majority was not short: Khan received 1,088,000 votes (43.7%), compared to Hall’s 812,000 votes (32.6%), a difference of more than a quarter of a million votes.
Pro-Palestinian protests, an almost weekly event in the British capital, have drawn heavy criticism from conservatives, and analysts say they did not expect them to add to the upsurge’s stubborn spread of knife crime statistics. There was even talk of Khan’s big win, a last-minute turnaround for conservatives. But Khan, 53, has widened his gap with the Conservatives in almost every ward. Detailed maps From “The Telegraph”.
The campaign was not conducted on friendly soil. Con he said Hall called Khan “the most dangerous person” he had ever fought politically because of his conservative publications on social media, which his supporters saw as promoting extremism and hatred. Hall called the comment “bad”, but said the Conservative campaign video had “learned from his mistakes” to demonstrate what they say is Khan’s light hand against criminals. Rather a kind of rush or jam that took place on the New York subway.
Another line that divided the candidates – separating current Londoners and those who want to get into London by car – is controversial. Expansion of the zone of intensively controlled carbon emissions (ULEZ) through Conn, Hall had said he would be fired. The charge, which is applied to drivers, aims to reduce vehicle entry in certain parts of London.
Con has promised to freeze Transport for London (TfL) fares until at least 2025, build 40,000 new council homes by the end of the decade, and stock more “rent-controlled” homes. Hall pledged to reform the Metropolitan Police and “tack down” crime, investing £200 million in police forces.
Left warnings for Starmer
Keir Starmer’s Labor Party, which surprisingly backed Khan, is on a winning streak that could continue into the general election. It is determined by polls that give the party a majority, if not an absolute one.
Labour’s left did not miss the opportunity to point out to Starmer that Khan’s “bold” policies were the most direct route to good electoral results, a clear criticism of Starmer’s centrist stance. “Sadiq’s victory demonstrates that Labour’s bold policies are an electoral asset, not a hindrance. Also, his principled support for Gaza and his call for an end to arms sales to Israel are clearly significant. Amid Labour’s losses in other urban areas, Starmer’s leadership should note Khan’s work, this left-wing The team representing the division said, Quoted in “Sky News”.
Khan said he was “deeply grateful” to Londoners and promised to serve “all people”. “This is the first time in the history of the City of London Council that an incumbent candidate has increased his margin of victory, and it is the biggest victory in a mayoral election. It is a vote in favor of building more homes for social housing, free school meals and a vote for a greener London,” the mayor said.
Local elections hit conservatives
The result comes at the end of a difficult week for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s conservatives, who were defeated in local elections.
The party lost more than 470 councillors, falling short of half the seats. In total, the party won 508 local body seats in these elections.
The Conservatives lost control of 10 councils, including Basildon in Essex, which gained iconic status for the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher when the Conservatives won the area, previously considered deeply Labour.
Labor can now count themselves winners, especially after winning Blackpool South by 26%, which counts parliamentary seats, not local seats, in a by-election. “This is the last leg of the journey to the general election and I’m pleased to show that we’re making progress, we’ve earned the trust of the electorate and we’re moving towards that general election,” Starmer said. .
In contrast to what happened in London, where the Muslim vote went largely because of Sadiq Khan’s stance of accepting pro-Palestinian protests, Labor lost confidence among Muslim voters in other constituencies. The BBC investigated 58 locationsWhen 1 in 5 voters say they identify as Muslim, Khan and Starmer’s party are 21% lower than in 2021, the last time there were widespread local elections (in the UK local elections are not necessarily all held at the same time. ).
