The countdown is on to the London mayoral election, but with 2nd May fast approaching, is it all still to play for?
The current Mayor of London, Labour’s Sadiq Khan, and the Conservative’s Susan Hall, are the frontrunners of the race, and they, along with the other candidates, are currently hard at work fine-tuning their manifestos.
Due to be published in the coming weeks, they’re expected to contain big pledges around key issues for Londoners such as; tackling crime, building homes - as well as greener and more affordable transport.
The race seems to be heating up already with Sadiq Khan announcing a Transport for London fare freeze until 2025 last week, while Susan Hall continues to be vocal about her plans to scrap the Ulez expansion as soon as possible.
This election marks a switch to the first past the post system, which should make voting for Mayor simpler for Londoners. 114,201 votes were rejected in the 2021 mayoral election, mainly because electors were confused about how to select their first and second choice candidates. The 2024 votes will also be counted manually for the first time, rather than by machines.
Ross Lydall, the Standard’s City Hall Editor & Transport Editor, explains the key issues the candidates will be battling over, whether it’s expected to be a record-breaking third term for Sadiq Khan, or if Susan Hall can make history as the first female Mayor of London.
Listen to the full episode above, find us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.
