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Londoners seem divided over the kind of job three-time mayor Sadiq Khan has done in office. They say he’s been solid on public transport, but are damning about crime levels and social housing. But they’re sure of one thing: that he should rule himself out of standing a fourth time in the 2028 elections. According to a new YouGov poll, some 47 per cent of Londoners think Khan is doing badly for their city, with 42 per cent thinking he is doing well.
At least most think he has done better for the city than its previous mayor, Boris Johnson — but also that the capital is a worse place to live than it was 10 years ago. I can understand that divide, and some of the gripes — and certainly the sentiment about London today being a worse place to live than when he first arrived in City Hall. Although I was born in London and lived there for most of my adult life, and often work there still, I left after Khan’s first term. I decided I did not want to raise my youngest child in the capital. I have never regretted that decision.
A world city like London, one that is constantly changing, would benefit from a new face with fresh ideas at the helm. I have never been a fan of politicians who squat in office for too long. The United States political system is certainly not perfect, but I agree with the rule that no president can serve more than two terms.
When someone remains in office for too long, they accumulate an excess of power. It can also give rise to internal party division. Remember Margaret Thatcher? She was still desperately clinging on when people rioted against her poll tax. They were lucky not to have caught leptospirosis there were that many rats running through the capital’s streets at the time. After a decade in office, Khan — now Lord Khan, no less — has amassed a small army of enemies. Perhaps most dangerous right now is Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader and member of the London Assembly. The pair have clashed repeatedly during Mayor’s Question Time.
The trouble for Khan is that, of the two, Polanski is the far more personable. He is approachable, not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects, and champions a wide range of people with differing opinions. Lately, Khan has developed a sneering, patronising attitude often seen in seasoned politicians. In one infamous jibe to Polanski, he stated that “some people challenge decisions through legal action… others do it by hypnosis” — a pretty low and unwarranted jibe. Khan has also criticised Polanski’s social media use, and even once accused him of “peroration”. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t peroration a great skill for a politician to have in their wheelhouse?
Khan has also clashed with various local councils, most notably Newham in east London, after he personally championed the building of the £2.2bn Silvertown Tunnel there, despite locals already suffering above-average rates of vehicle-related respiratory deaths, as well as hospitalisations from childhood asthma. All the while, Khan lays great claim to being a clean-air champion.
Just as Keir Starmer fell on his sword as public support, and among the party, dwindled, it is time for Khan to listen to Londoners who are abandoning not the Labour Party but him. If he decides to run for a fourth term, he risks damaging Labour support in the capital, possibly permanently. That could lead to his own warning becoming a reality – a Green Party victory. Or he could even split the vote, allowing Reform to sneak in.
That would be a nightmare scenario that upsets me so greatly, I can’t even think about it. Apart from the fact that London is a proudly multicultural society, Reform have a terrible track record when allowed to run anything. Where would the capital be, and in turn the country, if they decide they “wish they hadn’t bothered”, as Nigel Farage said of the victory that saw his party having to run Worcestershire City Council.
I am not saying that Khan should simply bow out gracefully, to step aside for another candidate and retire from politics — far from it. He should instead entertain a return to frontline politics, transferring the skills he has acquired in charge of London and applying them to the rest of the country.
