London Mayor Election 2024

Sadiq Khan on his way to a hat-trick of London mayor

May 02, 2024
  • About 15 lakh Bangladeshis and British Bangladeshis living in Britain

Voting for the election of the mayor of London, the world's largest multinational city; will be completed in a few hours.  Voting will end at 10 pm local time on Thursday (May 2). Sadiq Khan, the son of an immigrant family of Pakistani origin, is waiting to be elected as a mayor for three consecutive terms.  Sadiq, who worked as a human rights lawyer before joining Labor Party politics, became London's first Muslim mayor. Sadiq Khan's father was a bus driver and mother worked as a tailor.

About 15 lakh Bangladeshis and British Bangladeshis living in Britain live in the capital city of London. In London's 33 bara councils, more than half a hundred Labor Party councilors of Bangladeshi descent solicited last-minute votes on behalf of Sadiq Khan through phone calls and text messages throughout the day.  Sylhet City Mayor Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury has also sought votes for Sadiq Khan in a video message.

Due to the introduction of ultra low emotion zone to protect London's environment, the cost of car drivers increased during Sadiq Khan's tenure.  Despite two terms as mayor, Sadiq has managed to build acceptance among young people outside of Labor Conservative bi-party circles.

Five-times councilor of Tower Hamlets Council and ex-deputy mayor Ohid Ahmed told Daily Dazzling Dawn this evening, Sadiq Khan has promised to provide free school meals to schools in London for the next 4 years.  Although there is criticism about the financial capacity to implement such a big project, there is no alternative to Sadiq Khan for the Bangladeshi and immigrant communities.  Knowing that he himself has voted for Sadiq Khan, Ohid added, I believe Sadiq will win by getting at least ten percent more votes.

Muzibur Rahman Jashim, a two-times councilor elected from the Labour Party in Newham Council and a Bangladeshi community leader, said that the working class people has no choice except Sadiq Khan. He will win.

Croydon's Labour party councillor and prominent community activitiist Mohammed Islam told Sadiq Khan is in the place of trust of this huge crowd.

Sadiq Khan is showing the leadership, vision and ambition for London through delivering polices such as free school meals, boosting jobs and growth in finance and business services, retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism, manufacturing and construction, the capital will show it remains an ideal home for established industries. And by championing health and life sciences, fintech, AI, creative industries and climate tech, London will retain its mantle as a leading destination for new ones. Young Londoners, especially those from lower-income households, will be given their chance to secure these well-paid, high-skilled jobs.

Notably, in the latest opinion polls, Sadiq is far ahead of Tory rival Susan Hall.  However, Analysts say there are political currents that are not visible in London. The rate of votes cast on Thursday and the calculation of postal votes may also change the equation somewhat.

As Sadiq awaits a victory in the results announced on Friday, he has faced a series of crises and constant budget cuts since he was first elected in May 2016.  Sadiq Khan was elected MP for the first time in 2005 before being elected Mayor.

The march of Europeans leaving London after Brexit has brought negative messages to London's economy.

A senior leader of the Conservative Party said, "People want change."  Growing congestion across London, housing crisis, voters surety vote for The Conservative candidate Susan Hall's box.

Notably, a total of 13 candidates are competing for the post of Mayor of London.  Despite the forecast of rain on Thursday, till the time of writing this report at 5.30 pm, the presence of voters in the center was relatively high as the weather was good.  It remains to be seen until Friday's results to see how much Thursday's voter turnout boosted Sadiq Khan's chances of a hat-trick victory in heavily pro-Labour London.

Alongside thousands of councillors, a record 12 metro mayors are to be elected – including the high-profile Mayor of London.

It is true that cases of knife crime in London have risen since Mr Khan’s was elected in 2016. From 2015 to 2023, cases recorded by the Met have doubled, increasing from 9,743 to 14,577.