What next for London's new mayor Sadiq Khan?

  • Published
Sadiq KhanImage source, Getty Images

The votes have been counted and Labour's Sadiq Khan is London's new mayor. But what is on his "to do" list when he arrives at City Hall?

Mr Khan called the election a "referendum on housing", pledging to ensure 50% of all new homes are affordable and to introduce a "London living rent". All eyes will be on him to see whether he can put those warm words into action.

In the early part of his campaign he spoke about increasing house-building to 80,000 a year. His manifesto did not include a specific target and he has said it is better not to get "obsessed" with numbers.

But he agrees with a 2015 report by the mayor's office which says house-building needs to reach 50,000 a year in the capital. With an average of only 19,571 homes per year built under Ken Livingstone and 18,364 per year under Boris Johnson, he'll need to get the diggers rolling right away.

Following terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris, the mayor faces renewed scrutiny over his ability to keep the capital safe, and Mr Khan is likely to face pressure to make good on his vow to set up an "urgent review" of the emergency services' ability to respond to major incidents.

Image source, AP
Image caption,

A four-year fare freeze was one of Mr Khan's most distinctive promises on the campaign trail

Other early challenges for the new mayor include: