Sadiq Khan. Can anyone tell me something positive about what he has done?

This is the only thing we dislike about him, here: the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street means a lot of traffic and congestikn for residents (in the side streets) and makes it harder to get anywhere, e.g. my elderly parents can't get the bus to hospital appointnents without difficulty. The air quality has been something we've been desperate about, the pollution was horrific and killing us and nobody seemed to care.

Otherwise, well, nearly everyone I know votes for him.and is very happy about the drastic change in air quality (my asthma has pretty much vanished), free school meals and affordable are obviously essential. His integrity is refreshing and also his bravery – coping with the death threats must be traumatic.

I have only heard negative things about him wrt Oxford Street local residents.

I assume the hatred you see online is mainly racism.

The man is diabolical. He is anti British, sexist tosser.

It's made a visible difference imo.

My drive to the ILs has a stretch where you can see right across London from the south. DP and I often used to comment on the pall of pollution across the centre, now it's astonishingly clear. You can see the sun glinting on the Shard on bright days.

@Gymrabbit outer and inner London combine to make Greater London.

If you all hate being part of London so much, then organise a vote to rejoin the various home counties.

As an actual far left person, Sadiq Khan's milquetoast soft-left politics didn't really impress me when he was an MP. He's been an excellent mayor though. Ulez alone is a greater legacy than most politicians achieve and he pushed it through against a lot of (batshit) opposition.

The Superloop had completely passed me by because I live in Zone 2, but that's a stroke of genius! And if only the Bakerloop had existed when I lived in New Cross...

When I lived and worked in London (1980s), it was commonplace among my colleagues to carry a second purse or wallet with a £5 note and a couple of out of date cards in, so that you could hand it over without any significant inconvenience if you got mugged . We worked in a borough with a high rate of street crime and regularly had evening meetings that went on till near midnight.

My London-dwelling nieces and nephews look at me as though I'm mad when I tell them this. They don't think twice about that sort of thing.

I too have lived in London all my life. And I couldn't disagree with you more.

Definitely. Including Trump's peculiar obsession with him when I am sure there are many UK national politicians that he wouldn't recognise or even know their names. And I suspect it may be the same for the OP

All of the above. Much of the hate towards him is pure racism

Step away from the clips, OP!

This. The reality is that however much people say they want/ need a 'visible presence' by way of an actual police base, the public footfall to these places is extremely low, as objectively measured by statistics. I used to work for a police authority and this was a hot topic two decades ago. Personally, I'd rather the police were out solving crimes than filling in paperwork back at the station. The technological revolution, including mobile technology, makes this now possible.

As for Sadiq Khan, a brief foray onto Twitter or Threads reveals just how much islamophobia and baseless (well, racist) hatred this man is subjected to. It's actually really scary. He's been elected three times, so is clearly well liked by most Londoners and doing a good job. From an outsider, he seems like a decent man doing a good job.

I commute to London twice per week. I have never, ever felt threatened there even as a line woman late at night. An American friend visited recently and said she could not believe how clean (and friendly) everything was in London compared to New York. Transport is excellent. It's vibrant, welcoming and people of all backgrounds and languages rub along well together. Would I want to live there? Absolutely not. It's too expensive and busy and I rather like retreating to my reasonably priced, peaceful suburban home with a garden. But as a place to work and visit, it is absolutely brilliant.

Don't think this thread went in quite the way the OP imagined.

It's very telling that, despite admitting that she doesn't live in London, she puts more faith in the "videos" that she has been watching than the comments on this thread from people who actually have their own experiences.

OP, you haven't really acknowledged any of the positive achievements that people have commented on. Why is that?

I don’t have the data on this but the tube strike last week was the first we’ve had for ages. And that was caused by ridiculous demands by the union. I think people were supportive of him not caving in.

MIL lives in outer south London and they have a fantastic tram service as well as exccellent bus services.

Anyone moaning about public transport in London wants to try living in a small town in a county council area. My last bus is at 5.50 pm, first is at 8.30 am (useless for any hospital appointment before about 11.00) and there are none at all on Sundays. And the council claim to be trying to reduce congestion on the county's roads...

His implication of ulez was utterly atrocious, and only now are businesses near me starting to recover from it being rushed through. However you can’t deny it’s made a difference.

All of this plus violent crime is at its lowest level ever.

I live in London - didn’t actually vote for him but I think I will next time (if he stands). He’s done a great job.

No they aren't. The last strike was early last month. And it wasn't just drivers on strike. It was service controllers, engineers, signalling, station staff...all the operational grades.

The strike before that was in November 2024.

It's very difficult to get a mandate for striking now, because of legislation the Tories brought in during 2022.

I meant outer London. The boroughs outside Inner London who have never voted for him. And if the concept is too complex for you look up the teacher pay scales.

As I said upthread they should split London up and have two Mayors or make his jurisdiction only for the centre. most of the outer boroughs never wanted a Mayor anyway.

Cleaner air, better transport.

I wonder what it is about him people outside London don’t like... more death threats than any other mayor. The obsession certainly reveals more about them than Sadiq. The abuse he gets is unreal and not deserved. Pure racism.

He hasn’t embarrassed us on any ziplines. I’ve voted for him every time. Only politician I have been generally happy with.

I don’t - as a Londoner - comment on who other cities elect as mayor. If he ran again I’d vote for him again. I think given more time he’d improve transport links in Greater London which is sorely needed.

Only thing I don’t agree with is not including bike lanes in the Silvertown Tunnel but seems the plans and expenditure were too far advanced under his predecessor so I’ll let him off.

Just looking out my window at the clear, quiet autumn morning with birds flying around and the cat from next door stretching on the lawn "yeah London - totally ruined mate. Absolute hell hole."

Also LOL at the poster who said all of Greater London hates him - Greater London is all of London except the cities of London and Westminster. We can't hate him that much as we elected him three times.

Yes it goes from practically the top of my road!

Not that I ever go to Heathrow but still

He’s been a fantastic mayor and I think we’ll really miss him when he’s gone.

As others have said, free school meals, clean air initiatives, improvements to bus services (all much needed). He’s also a brilliantly inclusive and unifying mayor for actual Londoners and celebrates all elements of our wonderfully diverse city.

If you’re thinking he’s a disaster, you either know nothing about London and/ or have believed right wing propaganda - a lot of it coming out of russia.

This is actually great language and so true. Loads of evidence on this thread that proves what great things he's done for those of us who live here (I've voted for him every time), but you're so right - he's an actual LEADER.

OMG, Labour and not white. He must be awful!! (eye roll)

Cleaner air, better standards of new built housing. Less cars.

Just no name a few.

I breathe it when I am work.
I get on the train outside London and the place stinks of diesel fumes near the station.
There are fewer queues leading to the black wall tunnel.
The pavements are clear of cars unlike where I live