Sadiq Khan has just won a third term as London’s mayor, getting 44% of the votes, while the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall, came second with 33%. Even though some Conservatives are criticizing their own party’s poor campaign, Khan and the Labour Party are celebrating the win, especially after a 3.2% swing from Conservative voters to Labour.
Despite the victory, many people feel that London’s problems have only gotten worse during Khan’s time in charge. His record has left a lot to be desired.
One of the most controversial things Khan did was expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in August last year. This expansion forced about five million more Londoners to either upgrade their cars to meet emissions standards or pay daily fines. What started as a zone just inside the North and South Circular Roads now covers all 32 London boroughs.
Many people in outer London were unhappy about it, leading to protests and even vandalism of Ulez cameras. Khan defended the move by saying it helped fight both air pollution and climate change, but it ended up hurting his party’s chances in elections like the one in Uxbridge, where Labour lost. Although Khan says he won’t expand Ulez any further, not everyone believes him. Susan Hall called him “dishonest,” pointing out that he had promised not to expand Ulez in the past — and then did it anyway.
Khan’s time as mayor hasn’t just upset drivers — it’s also disappointed people who enjoy London’s nightlife. The city’s night scene has struggled, with bars closing early and restaurants feeling emptier than ever. Even though the mayor hired a “Night Czar,” Amy Lamé, to help the situation, nightlife has only gotten worse. Lamé, who earns £120,000 a year, has been criticized heavily as London has lost nearly half of its nightclubs since she took the role. People have even taken to social media to post their “Lame London” experiences. Some politicians have questioned whether Lamé has remained politically neutral, as required by her role.
When it comes to transport, things haven’t gone smoothly either. London’s commuters have faced frequent strikes, delays, and cancellations. Yet instead of solving these bigger problems, Khan announced in February that several sections of the Overground would get new names and colors. The new names, like the Lioness Line and the Suffragette Line, are supposed to celebrate London’s history and culture, but many Londoners are wondering why energy is being spent on renaming trains instead of fixing delays.
Meanwhile, crime is a growing concern. Knife crime has been rising at its fastest rate in five years, and knife-point robberies are up by more than a third. When asked about the crime problem, Khan blamed the national government and said he believed in treating crime like a public health issue. But critics pointed out that other cities, like Manchester, have managed to lower crime without blaming the national government. When pressed further, Khan even suggested that phone manufacturers might be to blame for some of the crime — a comment that left many people shaking their heads.
On top of all this, Khan has been pushing his climate agenda hard. He even wrote a book called Breathe: Seven Ways to Win a Greener World, which encourages voters and activists to fight for environmental causes. While his passion for green issues is clear, many Londoners wish he would focus more on fixing real problems, like the city’s affordable housing crisis. So far, only a tiny fraction — just 2.8% of his affordable housing goal has been achieved. Meanwhile, homelessness remains a serious issue, with 1 in 50 Londoners recorded as homeless by the end of last year.
Sadiq Khan may have secured another term, but plenty of Londoners feel the real work of making the city better still hasn’t begun.
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