Mayor of London

The mayor of London is the chief executive of the Greater London Authority. This important role was created in 2000 after a vote in 1998, making London the first place in the United Kingdom to have a mayor chosen directly by the people.

Sir Sadiq Khan became mayor on 9 May 2016 and was chosen again in 2021 and 2024. Before him, the job was held by Ken Livingstone from 2000 until 2008. Then, Boris Johnson served until 2016 before Khan took over.

The mayor works with the London Assembly and a team called the Mayoral Cabinet. They help make big decisions for all of London, including the City of London, which also has its own leader called the Lord Mayor of the City of London. London is made up of 32 areas called boroughs, and each has its own ceremonial mayor. In some boroughs like Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets, they even vote for their mayors. The mayor of London is chosen by more people than any other mayor in the United Kingdom.

Background

The old elected government for Greater London, called the Greater London Council, stopped working in 1986. Important jobs were shared among different groups. Later, in 1998, people in London voted to make a new way to govern the city. In 2000, a new rule was made that created the position of the directly elected mayor of London. This was part of changes to improve how the city was managed.

Elections

Main article: London mayoral elections

The mayor of London is chosen by a vote from people in the city. Elections happen every four years in May. Before 2022, a different voting method was used, but now it's a simple system where the candidate with the most votes wins. There is no limit to how many times someone can be mayor.

In the election on May 2, 2024, the results were announced on May 4. Sadiq Khan was chosen again as mayor, beating the Conservative candidate Susan Hall. He became the first mayor to be elected for three terms.

Main article: 2024 London mayoral election

List of mayors

Timeline

The mayor of London is the main leader of the Greater London Authority. This important job started in 2000 after people in London voted for it in 1998. It was the first time anyone in the United Kingdom chose a mayor by voting directly.

Sir Sadiq Khan began his term as mayor on 9 May 2016. He was chosen again to serve in 2021 and once more in 2024.

Powers and functions

The mayor of London has many important jobs to help the city run smoothly. Most of these powers come from special laws like the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and others. The mayor is in charge of big plans for things like housing, keeping the environment clean, and managing trash. They also decide about building projects and make rules for roads and public transport, which are handled by Transport for London.

The mayor works on safety plans for fires and emergencies, and helps guide police work through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime. They also support jobs and growth in London. Some of these tasks are done by groups that work for the mayor, like GLA Land and Property. Other everyday city services, like some trash pickup, are taken care of by local councils called London borough councils.

Initiatives

Ken Livingstone

Ken Livingstone made many changes as Mayor of London. He started the London congestion charge to charge drivers for using the city center on weekdays. This helped bring more buses to the streets. He also introduced the Oyster card for easier travel on Transport for London services. Livingstone supported the idea of the London Olympics in 2012 and helped bring the Tour de France to London.

Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson added safety measures to public transport, like more police officers around bus stops. He also banned alcohol on the subway and some train services. Johnson started a bike rental system with 5,000 bikes for people to use around London. He also helped improve local shopping areas with special funding.

Sir Sadiq Khan

Sir Sadiq Khan made traveling easier by letting people take a second bus within an hour without paying extra. He introduced ways to pay for travel using cards instead of cash. Khan worked to make London greener by adding more places to walk and bike and by charging more for cars that pollute the air. He also helped London become known for having a lot of green spaces.