Circle May 2 on your calendars. The mayoral election is just four weeks away and the deadline to register to vote is even sooner — April 16.
Thirteen candidates are standing, with current Mayor Sadiq Khan “on course for victory” with 44 per cent of the vote, according to the latest polls. Tory candidate Susan Hall is next, with 26 per cent. Controversial actor and broadcaster Laurence Fox is not among the remaining 11 contenders due to “errors” in his nomination papers.
Unsure who to vote for? The Standard has some handy top trumps to help you out.
Sadiq Khan, Labour
In a nutshell: The first ever Muslim mayor of a Western capital and the man hoping to win an unprecedented third term in the role that he has called “the best job in the world”. His Tooting-born-and-raised, son-of-a-bus-driver story has earned him a loyal Labour following over the years but the vote could be tighter than predicted.
Some point to a 58 per cent rise in crime on London’s transport network since he took power in 2016. Recently he’s been more outspoken on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza than the Labour leadership.
What he says: “The London election is going to be a very close two-horse race”
What the naysayers say: Khan is slick, but what does he really achieve? House building stats in particular have not been what they could be, while his night tsar Amy Lame has been fairly ineffectual as London late night venues have been struggling.
Susan Hall, Conservatives
In a nutshell: Long serving Conservative local politician and daughter of a car mechanic. She became the Tory candidate by semi-default, after her two rivals Daniel Korski and Mozl Hossain imploded over a groping scandal and Partygate respectively.
She hasn’t always had the slickest of campaigns, including the time she once introduced herself as the Labour candidate and when she claimed to have been mugged on the Tube - but it seemed more likely she’d dropped her Oyster card.
She’s also had to defend “liking” tweets which praised Enoch Powell, and describing Sadiq Khan as “our nipple height mayor of Londonistan”. She has a good chance of winning, though, and says she’d appoint a women's commissioner to ensure women's safety if she does.
What she says: “I’ve always been a bit of a bruiser. I would just punch somebody [if they tried to mug me]”
What the naysayers say: Just look at her recent interview with Nick Ferarri, in which she didn’t know who is in charge of Hammersmith Bridge or the price of a bus fare (£1.75), or her suggestion that Jewish people are scared of Sadiq Khan.
Rob Blackie, Lib Dems
In a nutshell: Digital marketer who worked for popular ex-Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy, and recently led a campaign to get independent news about Ukraine to people in Russia. Supporters say he’s a safe pair of hands for the struggling Lib Dems.
He grew up in Pimlico, has lived in Brixton for 20 years and has been dubbed “bionic man” for the metal plates in his neck after a mugging in 2003. He thinks police should focus on bigger crimes, not minor drugs offences. He’s also vowed to clean up rivers, cover the city's rooftops in solar panels, and speed up the move to low carbon transport.
What he says: Blackie had his left kidney removed last February, says all cancer patients should start treatment within two months of an urgent referral.
What the naysayers say: The Lib Dems aren’t getting many hearts fluttering just now. Blackie was prominent in the Best for Britain campaign, which won’t endear him to Brexiteers.
Zoë Garbett, Greens
In a nutshell: Dalston Greens councillor and non-clinical NHS staffer who came second in the Hackney mayoral elections last November. She’s less high-profile than Siân Berry, who was the Green party’s candidate in the last two elections. Says she wants to give free bus travel to people under 22, and address inequality to make London more affordable.
What she says: “Londoners need a campaigning mayor - who will stand up for them, fight back against austerity and fight for more rights”
What the naysayers say: This time the race is first past the post, so left-leaning voters who backed Sadiq Khan as their second choice may be less likely to vote Green this time around.
Howard Cox, Reform UK
In a nutshell: Life-long Conservative voter and business development consultant who has moved to Reform. He has spent the last decade successfully campaigning through Fair Fuel UK for fuel duty to be frozen.
He says he will get rid of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, put lots more bobbies on the beat, and “get London moving” by scrapping Ulez and other car taxes. He also wants a road users’ tsar who will “heal the current Mayor’s deliberately-created division in attitude between cyclists and drivers”.
What he says: “A vote for the Tories is a vote for Labour’s Sadiq Khan”
What the naysayers say: Cox claimed “there is no climate crisis” in tweets in 2022. He has also said he is “convinced man is not responsible for global warming”. He nonetheless said it was “unfair” for him to be labelled a “climate change denier”.
Count Binface
In a nutshell: Satirical candidate with a massive bin on his head, played by comic Jonathan David Harvey. He used to call himself Lord Buckethead, until a copyright row. Claims to be an intergalactic space warrior and leader of the Recyclons from planet Sigma IX, promising to “halve the Tories” and have “croissant prices falling”.
What he says: “I campaign for justice, lasers, Lovejoy, affordable croissants and the return of Ceefax”.
What the naysayers say: Do we really need a comedy candidate given the current state of British politics?
Endorsements: Not many, but he’s stood against Boris Johnson and Theresa May in the past (and looks good in photos standing behind bleary-eyed winners on election nights).
Natalie Campbell MBE, Independent
In a nutshell: Former royal aide and serial entrepreneur currently working at Belu water, a sustainable drinks company. She has previously worked for the Royal Foundation and Harry and Meghan’s splinter charity.
She grew up in Willesden and previously ran as a Tory, but wasn’t selected so took matters into her own hands. She backs a four-day working week, building the proposed Bakerloo line extension, and shutting down the Metropolitan Police and starting again.
What she says: “London doesn’t need a politician, it needs a CEO.”
What the naysayers say: Campbell backs more affordable housing but is a little vague on the details, ruling out rent controls by saying: “You can’t just throw a tax at people and expect the market to shift.”
Andreas Michli, Independent
In a nutshell: Health and fitness entrepreneur who says he was “radicalised by lockdown”, which encouraged him to run for office. He was fined for attempting to keep his north London gym open during Covid restrictions but had the decision overturned in court. He doesn’t support Ulez, LTNs or net-zero targets.
What he says: “Rather than patronisingly telling people to get fit and eat well, I want the mayor’s office to provide practical support such as free gym membership and healthy eating plans for every citizen.”
What the naysayers say: Michli says he wants to improve police fitness and “martial skills”. Some may argue the Met needs more reform than that.
Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party
In a nutshell: Pharmacist who came to the UK as a teenage Afghan refugee. Animals are her priority. She wants to create an animal welfare committee in the London Assembly, and ban all animal testing, fur and foie gras. Her party also wants to boost public transport, and prioritise the climate in all decision making.
What she says: “A fairer, liveable future is possible, but we must come together and act now.”
What the naysayers say: Some might baulk at “supporting plant-based lifestyles” – or hoping everyone becomes vegan.Endorsements: Celebs like Brian May and Twiggy have voiced support.Likelihood to win out of 10: 0.3
Tarun Ghulati, Independent
In a nutshell: Relatively unknown businessman who is proud of his family heritage: his father was a former Secretary to the government of India. His website boasts fairly vague policy ideas such as “tourism needs a refocus”. He launched his campaign in India’s Hyderabad.
What he says: His own website says “Tarun is running as an Independent for Mayor of London and is widely expected to emerge as a frontrunner.”
What the naysayers say: Evidence of Ghulati emerging as a front runner is yet to be seen.
Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party
In a nutshell: Mental health nurse and daughter of a taxi driver who is taking legal action against the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust for its use of critical race theory during her training.
She takes particular offence to a lecture that she claims was called “whiteness — a problem of our time”. She’s still fundraising for her case, and says she’s standing to “push back on woke ideology” and would “defund divisive diversity and inclusive spending”.
What she says: “As the daughter of a taxi driver, some of my earliest memories are of my dad learning the Knowledge of London.”
What the naysayers say: The SDP only got 0.3 per cent of the vote last time — less than a third of that of Count Binface.
Brian Rose, Independent
In a nutshell: US-born podcaster and YouTuber who made a name for himself in the last mayoral election when a video surfaced of him drinking his own urine surfaced. He’s been compared to a Batman villain due to his cartoonishly wide ties, and says he wants to privatise TfL and boost cryptocurrency in the capital.
What he says: The contest so far “has been an insufferable slugging match between two of the most lacklustre characters in British politics”.
What the naysayers say: He was criticised for having Covid conspiracist David Icke feature on his YouTube channel; Rose said he was proud of the conversation.
Nick Scanlon, Britain First
In a nutshell: Far-Right candidate who previously stood in Greenwich and often talks about his dislike of immigration. He recently posted on social media that “diversity has destabilised our communities”, and reposted a message from his party about the Mayor which many would consider Islamophobic.
What he says: “Over the last few decades Londoners have watched on in horror as their once relatively tranquil and cohesive city has been transformed into something completely unrecognisable.”
What the naysayers say: How can a man who dislikes immigration so much want to be mayor of this brilliantly cosmopolitan city?
