London elections 2021: Record-breaking list of mayoral candidates

Candidates need a £10,000 deposit and 66 signatures of people on the electoral register in London to run as mayor

A record-breaking 20 candidates are running to become the next mayor of London, it has been announced.

The final list includes the current mayor, Labour's Sadiq Khan, and the Conservative party's Shaun Bailey, who are standing in the elections on 6 May.

The previous record was set in 2016 when 12 candidates ran to become mayor of London.

Candidates need a £10,000 deposit and 66 signatures of people on the electoral register in London to run.

London's elections: The basics

• London is holding elections: On 6 May people will vote to elect a mayor as well as 25 members of the London Assembly. Together, they make up the Greater London Authority (GLA), which governs the capital - you can register to vote here.

• What do these roles do? The mayor has a £19bn budget and is responsible for Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police, and has a role in housing, planning and the environment. The London Assembly holds the mayor to account by examining their policies.

• Who is standing? London's current mayor, Labour's Sadiq Khan, is seeking re-election and his main challenger is Conservative Shaun Bailey, but there are 18 others running.

Mary Harpley is the Greater London returning officer and is responsible for running this year's election.

She said: "The winning mayoral candidate will be responsible for issues that affect every Londoner - from transport and policing, to housing and the environment.

"This year, there will be 20, the largest number [of candidates] yet."

• How to vote in the London elections?

• The mayor with a £17bn budget

• Mayor of London: Two decades in the spotlight

The election was moved from 7 May 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The deadline to register to vote is 19 April.

There will also be London Assembly elections, covering both London-wide seats, and constituency seats.

The full list of candidates can be found here.