--- election_year: 2021 party_id: labour party_name: Labour Party party_leader: Sadiq Khan political_spectrum: centre-left victory: true government_outcome: majority sections: - economy - taxation - health - education - housing - immigration - defence - foreign-policy - environment - transport - law-and-order - welfare - democracy-and-constitution - energy - devolution - science-and-technology - local-government --- # Labour Party London Mayoral Manifesto 2021 FOR LONDON Labour SADIQ FOR LONDON 2021 ## CONTENTS TOP COMMITMENTS .....................................................................................04 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................06 IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS .............................................................................16 LEADING LONDON'S RECOVERY .............................................................20 LONDON AS A GLOBAL CITY ......................................................................22 SAFER COMMUNITIES ...................................................................................38 A GREEN NEW DEAL FOR LONDON .........................................................52 SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LONDONERS ................60 EMERGING FROM THE PANDEMIC A FAIRER, HEALTHIER AND MORE EQUAL LONDON .....................................................................68 LONDON’S LOCAL COMMUNITIES ............................................................90 ## TOP COMMITMENTS ### THE CITY’S RECOVERY Leading from the front in shaping London’s recovery from the pandemic, and ensuring we capture the spirit of 1945 in building a greener, fairer, safer and more prosperous city. ### JOBS, BUSINESSES AND SKILLS Protecting and creating jobs, supporting new and growing businesses, promoting fair and inclusive workplaces and giving Londoners the skills they need to prosper. ### GLOBAL LONDON Reviving central London, supporting our hospitality, night-time, retail, culture and creative sectors to recover from the pandemic and ensuring London continues to attract investment, trade and visitors from across the world. ### TACKLING CRIME AND KEEPING COMMUNITIES SAFE Continuing to invest in the police to keep out streets safe, fighting for the Government funding London needs to recruit more police officer, renewing our focus on the safety of women and girls, supporting the victims of crime, and taking a public health approach to reducing violence by investing to tackle the causes of crime. ### INVESTING IN YOUNG PEOPLE Building on the work done with young Londoners to give them the positive opportunities they deserve and investing in community activities and support to help young people fulfill their potential. ## A GREEN NEW DEAL A Green New Deal for the city, with cleaner air, improved open spaces, green jobs and tackling climate change at its heart, including extending the ULEZ in October 2021. ## TRANSPORT Continuing to invest in public transport to ensure it is safe, affordable and reliable, keeping fares as low as possible, working to put TfL on a sound, sustainable financial footing after the pandemic, and supporting a revolution in walking and cycling. ## PROMOTING FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY Creating a fairer city, with a mission to tackle deprivation, inequality and discrimination; celebrating our rich diversity and rooting out health inequality. ## AFFORDABLE HOUSING Continuing the record-breaking progress made on increasing the numbers of genuinely affordable homes being built across London, standing up for the city's hard-pressed renters and working to eradicate rough sleeping. ## STANDING UP FOR LONDON Proudly standing up for London's liberal, open values and fighting for the extra powers and the resources the city needs and deserves, all in the face of the most anti-London Government in recent history. # INTRODUCTION ### MAYOR OF A CITY I LOVE Every single day for the last five years, I’ve woken up with the same excitement and passion about being Mayor of London as I had on day one. And I’m still humbled by the responsibilities that come with the role. I love London. Being the Mayor of the city in which I was born, where my parents moved to make a better life for our family, where I studied, raised a family, made a home and led a business is a privilege. There are so many reasons to love this city, it’s hard to know where to begin. From the bright lights of the West End, to our amazing green spaces like Richmond Park, Beckenham Place Park and Hampstead Heath, to the cultural vibrancy of Brixton, Camden, Hackney and my very own Tooting. And no matter where I go in the world, I’m always drawn back to London. I love its dynamism, diversity and magnetism. There is nowhere else on Earth quite like it, where people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities and sexual orientation live together, free to be whoever they want to be. It really is the only truly global city, with cultures from every corner of the world found in some part of London. I’m proud that to the rest of the world our city is rightly seen as liberal, outward-facing and open — a beacon to those seeking a better life. At its heart, London remains very much an English and a British city. It’s the home of Wimbledon, Wembley, the Boat Race, the Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace and the Mother of all Parliaments — not to mention of Pearly Kings and Queens, the red bus and the red telephone box. It’s a sprawling metropolis, but a city of countless villages, each with its own character and identity. And I love its local quirks — the banter between north and south London, and the strictest rule that no true Londoner dares contravene — only standing on the right on tube escalators. >> INTRODUCTION 7 ## MUCH ACHIEVED, MORE TO DO Back in May 2016, I was under no illusion about the scale of the task ahead. It’s true that to many, London is code for success, and prosperity, a dynamo of ingenuity and creativity, and of gleaming skyscrapers and expensive West End shops. But, to many, that version of our city is completely alien. London is home to some of the poorest communities in the UK. Overcrowded and unsuitable housing is still all too common. Life expectancy for the unhealthiest Londoners is decades less than for the healthiest. Filthy air still blights some areas. Thousands struggle every day to make ends meet — a decent day’s wage with good working conditions is still out of reach for far too many in twenty-first century London. These were the challenges that motivated me run to be Mayor first time round, and I’ve always been honest that the job was going to be huge and take time. However, it has been made more difficult by inheriting a dormant mayoralty from my predecessor, Boris Johnson. Add to this the severely restricted powers of the Mayor, continuing austerity and an increasingly anti-London Tory Government, and it has often felt like pushing water uphill. In spite of this, I’m immensely proud we’ve achieved so much of what I told Londoners I would do back in 2016 — laying the foundations to tackle the housing crisis, cleaning up the city’s dangerously polluted air, getting to grips with the lack of opportunities for young people, putting thousands more police officers on London’s streets, transforming our city for walkers and cyclists and making our transport system more affordable. ## A TUMULTUOUS FIVE YEARS I knew that being Mayor of a major city like London, I had to expect the unexpected. No two days are ever the same, and each morning you can never be certain about the unfolding day ahead. But I couldn’t have imagined the sheer scale and scope of the challenges that London has faced over the past five years. In May 2016, I didn’t expect that, within weeks, the UK would vote for Brexit, and London would be wrenched out of the European Union against its will. I never foresaw that, in my term as Mayor, there would be two general elections and three Prime Ministers, with the political instability in Westminster that this created. I would never have predicted that levelling down London would become a deliberate policy objective for Tory politicians. And I didn’t expect that, within months, Donald Trump would be elected President of the United States, unleashing a rise of nativist populist politics across the globe and undermining international efforts to fight climate change, and that I’d find myself one of those standing up to a dangerous bully in the White House. I also never expected London would suffer such tragedy. Over these past five years, seven Londoners lost their lives in a terrible tram crash at Sandilands, and the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower saw 72 people die in the most terrible circumstances possible. And while the city was always on alert against terrorism, it was still a shock that so many innocent Londoners would lose their lives to murderous fanatics who hate our open, liberal and diverse city. ## A MICROSCOPIC ENEMY To cap it all, if I’d been told back in May 2016 that there’d be months on end when we were restricted to our homes because of a deadly virus, I’d have dismissed it as the stuff of Hollywood movies. Anyone telling me that I’d go for over a year without hugging my own mother, barely seeing any friends or colleagues in the flesh, or that I’d be running a city via a computer monitor, I’d question their sanity. I would never for one minute have thought that thousands of Londoners — including some dear to me — would lose their lives to a lethal virus sweeping the globe. For over a year, we’ve battled a microscopic enemy that’s left thousands of our fellow Londoners dead. But, far from this disease being a great leveller, Covid-19 exploited the most vulnerable in society, those with underlying health conditions and disabilities, people living in crowded and poor housing, in the lowest- paid jobs with the worst working conditions who couldn’t work from home, and Black, Asian and Minority ethnic Londoners in particular were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Our structural inequalities have been exposed and exacerbated. London has had the most tragic of wake-up calls — a devastating reminder that the inequality and deprivation that the city has tolerated for too long were the conditions in which a killer virus thrived. There will be many crucial lessons for the country to learn from this terrible period, and that’s why I support an independent public inquiry at the earliest appropriate time. ## A CITY THAT HAS RISEN MAGNIFICENTLY TO FACE THE CRISIS I didn’t think it was possible for me to feel any prouder to be Mayor of this city, but the last five years — and in particular the last twelve months — have proved me wrong. Much has been asked of Londoners as we fight this terrible virus. Sacrifices have seen us all put our lives on hold, postponing or cancelling plans we made and unable to do many of the things we would normally do. Some Londoners have not left their own homes since March last year until answering the call to get vaccinated. Yet, still neighbours looked out for each other. Community groups and volunteers supported the shielded and the vulnerable. Food banks stepped in to prevent Londoners becoming destitute. Thousands were helped off the streets who were sleeping rough. People we might sometimes have taken for granted became our new heroes. Key workers — the nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, other health and social care workers, delivery and postal workers, cleaners, shop workers, transport staff, police officers, fire fighters, teachers and many others — risking their own health to keep our city moving and safe. But the pandemic has also taken its toll on Londoners. Thousands of families are mourning loved ones lost to the virus. Many Londoners are struggling to shake off the physical effects of the illness, even months after they were first infected. Enforced isolation and fears > I didn’t think it was possible > for me to feel any prouder > to be Mayor of this city, but > the last five years — and in > particular the last twelve > months — have proved me > wrong. about the future risk replacing the coronavirus pandemic with a mental health epidemic. Many businesses across the city are just hanging on, and too many have been lost. Central London — with its amazing culture, attractions, night life, shops, bars and restaurants — faces an uncertain future. Increasing numbers are out of work, risking joblessness returning to levels seen in the 1980s. Public services are stretched and more underfunded than ever, and those working in them are exhausted, at a time when we need them the most. And after what we’ve all lived through this past year, each and each one of us has reassessed what matters, and what’s important to us. Our friends and family, our health, access to green space, where we live and work, more walking and cycling, quieter streets and better air quality, and hugging loved ones. ## THE SPIRIT OF 1945 But it’s these very things which we’ve grown to realise are so precious which must form the basis of a better London. And that’s why, in spite of the severe challenges lined up against us as a city, I’m not in despair. I’m still full of hope for the future. I’m convinced we can rebuild an even better London after the pandemic. Over centuries, London and Londoners have seen off fire, famine, war, terror and disease, just as we’ll see off coronavirus too. And, just as in the years after 1945, when a Labour Government built a country fit for returning war heroes, and created a welfare state and the NHS to eradicate squalor and deprivation, we must rebuild a better future for the sake of all those who have suffered so much. We owe it to them all to build a better London that’s more prosperous, fairer, greener, healthier and safer, and to strengthen our values of tolerance, openness and respect. Even more important than it was before is my approach towards health in all policies. I’m not going to sugarcoat the task ahead — the job of recovery is huge and the whole city needs to draw on all its energy. It will take time and considerable resources. But I commit myself, as your Labour Mayor, to this awesome responsibility. My vision for recovery brings the whole city together — businesses, community and voluntary groups, trade unions, faith communities, the public sector and Londoners themselves. By working together, through shared endeavour, the best possible memorial for those we’ve lost is that our city is the very best it can be for all its residents. **By working together, through shared endeavour, the best possible memorial for those we’ve lost is that our city is the very best it can be for all its residents.** ## STANDING UP FOR LONDON City Hall is already facing severe pressure on budgets because of ongoing Tory austerity and the Government’s refusal to refund the cost of dealing with the pandemic and the lost tax income as a result of the economic downturn. This Tory austerity creates a huge challenge for delivering on the things London desperately needs. This election is a two-horse race. As your Labour candidate I’ll fearlessly stand up for the city, oppose further austerity, argue for the investment London needs and face down shameful attacks on our values. On the other side is a Tory candidate who’ll never do any of these things. Instead, they’ll be scared of upsetting the Government and timid in the face of the threats facing the city. Their focus would be on the few, not the many, and with them it’ll be more austerity and a return to the failed way of doing things. There are some in the Tory Party who give the impression of hating London and all it stands for. Many of the current Tory party’s values are the total antitheses of London. And, at a time of growing anti-London sentiment across the country, instead of countering this, and making the case for why London’s success is essential to the whole UK, they’ve stoked up divisions to try to prop up their new parliamentary gains in the red wall seats of the Midlands and the North. The dangerous game of bashing London has to stop. Otherwise, we’ll all be left worse off and the social fabric of the country will be stretched to breaking point. I’m losing patience, as I know Londoners are. As your Mayor, I’ll use City Hall to face down the fake news and lies levelled against London, I’ll speak truth to the rest of the country about why our success matters to them at the same time as helping other parts of the country be more successful, and I’ll continue to be vocal in defending London’s interests. London is the UK’s economic powerhouse, providing the Government in 2019 with £38.8 billion more in tax revenues than was spent within our city. Our critics might not like it, but the wealth generated in this city pays for public services across the UK and funds new hospitals, schools, roads and railways across our country. I believe we desperately need a national mission to raise standards of living in every part of the UK. But you can’t achieve this by dragging down the successful parts of the country, or by attacking the many Londoners out of work or living in poverty. That’s why, as Mayor, I will continue to shout from the rooftops about how great London is, and I will challenge those who knock our city. Londoners should not be made to feel guilty just because the city is successful — instead it should be a source of national pride. I’ll also remind the Government that when London succeeds, the whole country succeeds and that there’s no route to a national recovery that doesn’t see London recover. At the same time, I will bang the drum for London — here and around the globe — to attract more jobs and investment. That’s also why it’s more important than ever that London has more say over its own affairs. If there’s one thing the pandemic has shown it’s that too much has been done for too long from Whitehall, and the crisis has at times overwhelmed the Government. Decisions over economic development, skills, planning, business support, transport, housing and how best to rehabilitate offenders should be left to London — just as they should be for other cities and regions. How a range of local taxes are best levied and spent should be decisions for the city. This election should be a referendum against the failed way this country is run — a vote for me and for Labour sends a strong message to the Tory Government that we’re sick of our city being run, and being run poorly, from Whitehall. Give us the responsibility over our own affairs a great city like London deserves. A vote for me is a vote for London. ## A RECOVERY FOR ALL LONDONERS London’s sweeping story spans two thousand years — originally a favourable trading location on a wide estuary, through to today and a city sat at the heart of a vast international network of trade, people and ideas, and the world’s only truly global city. Chapter after chapter tells the tale of good times and bad times, challenges and successes. But throughout all, the city has prevailed, just as it will prevail through this current crisis. This manifesto is my offer to you as Londoners. It is my binding document, the commitments I promise to fulfil if re-elected. But it is also a blueprint for recovery — a plan for a better London. Because I promise to lead London’s recovery to build a city that is better for all its residents. I promise a recovery for all Londoners. This is my manifesto for London. Thank you. Sadiq ## IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS… ### LEADERSHIP FOR LONDON DURING TOUGH TIMES * A voice for the city through the Grenfell fire, Croydon tram crash, terrorist attacks and Covid-19, and stood up for London’s values against Brexit, native populism and Donald Trump. * At the forefront of the city’s efforts to defeat Covid-19, working closely with our NHS, local authorities and health experts to keep Londoners as safe as possible throughout the pandemic. * Leading the city’s recovery from the pandemic by bringing together local authorities, NHS, colleges, universities, trade unions, businesses, and voluntary and community groups under a shared plan of action to build back better. ### MAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT MORE AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE * Made public transport more affordable, with TfL fares being frozen over five years and through the introduction of the Hopper Fare, saving London households up to £200. * Reduced days lost to strikes on the Underground under the Tories by more than 75%, by talking and engaging with the unions rather than the confrontation and hostility under the previous Tory Mayor. * Before the pandemic, reducing TfL’s deficit by 71% while increasing cash balances by 13%; reducing like-for-like operating costs every year for four years for the first time ever; and reducing agency staff and back office costs for TfL. ## A CITY THAT IS SAFER FOR ALL ITS RESIDENTS - Working hard to reduce crime by investing more than any other Mayor in policing and tackling crime; putting 1,000 extra police officers onto the street; funding the Metropolitan Police Service’s new dedicated Violent Crime Taskforce of nearly 300 police officers focusing on the areas worst affected by violent crime; investing a record £60.7m in tackling violence against women and girls; taking a ‘public health’ approach to tackling the root causes of violence; and setting up England’s first Violence Reduction Unit which has benefitted over 80,000 Londoners. - Supporting young Londoners to to fulfill their potential by investing £70 million in youth services and sports projects including through the Young Londoners Fund, benefitting over 110,000 young people. - Invested extra money in the London Fire Brigade to make sure firefighters have the resources they need to keep London safe, including introducing the most advanced fire-fighting equipment in the country, new fire escape smoke hoods, three new 64m ladders and aerial drone technology. ## IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ### A CLEANER, GREENER LONDON * Leading the world in tackling toxic air pollution: the new Ultra Low Emission Zone has cut toxic air pollution by more than a third in the zone already; all 9,000 of London’s dirty buses cleaned up; introducing Europe’s largest fleet of electric buses; boosted funding to clean up London’s taxi fleet by licensing nearly 4,000 zero-emission capable taxis; launched an air quality alert system so Londoners know when pollution is particularly bad; and made available almost £53 million to low income Londoners, businesses and charities to scrap older polluting vehicles. * Making London a greener city by planting a record 330,000 trees, protected the green belt, parks and open spaces through a new London Plan and produced one of the world’s first zero-carbon city pathways that will keep London in line with the ambitious global 1.5°C degree plan. ### GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE HOUSING CRISIS * Funding record-breaking numbers of genuinely affordable homes, including starting more new council homes than in any year since 1983 as part of a programme to build 10,000 council homes across London. * Standing up for London’s renters by leading the campaign for rent controls for our city to make renting more affordable and secure for the millions of Londoners who rent their home from a private landlord, setting up a new Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker and successfully lobbying the Government for a ban on tenant fees and a commitment to the end of ‘no fault' evictions. * Supporting 11,000 rough sleepers through City Hall programmes since 2016 by increasing funding for rough sleeping services, with 80% of those helped no longer on the streets, helping double the number of full-time outreach workers and leading the national response to get rough sleepers off the streets in the face of coronavirus. BOOSTING JOBS AND SKILLS, AND SUPPORTING BUSINESSES TO THRIVE  More than doubled the number of London Living Wage employers since 2016 — to over 2,000.  Launching the EU Londoners Hub and #LondonIsOpen campaign to support the 1 million EU Londoners access the support they need so they can stay and feel welcome in London.  Investing a record amount in skills including in the Mayor’s Construction Academy and launched Skills for Londoners to help Londoners who have lost their jobs to retrain and find work.  Launched London’s first-ever Creative Enterprise Zones and the £100 million Greater London Investment Fund.  Created the London Borough of Culture and stepped in to help struggling venues during the pandemic with a £2.3m Culture At Risk Fund. MAKING LONDON A FAIRER AND HEALTHIER CITY  Launched the ‘Our Time’ initiative to address the lack of women in senior leadership positions in all sectors in our city.  Set up the Workforce Integration Network (WIN) to help improve pathways for young Black men aged 16 to 24 years into living wage employment in London, focusing on the digital and construction sectors.  Supporting Londoners to lead healthier lives through the roll out of water fountains and banning junk food advertising on the TfL network to help tackle unacceptable levels of childhood obesity.  Promoting improved mental health, and established a programme so that mental health first aid trainers will be in every state school in London. ACHIEVEMENTS 19 # LEADING LONDON'S RECOVERY The coming years are going to be dominated by how London responds to the pandemic and the damage it has caused to the city. That’s why I’ve written a manifesto focused on the recovery needs of the city. The Tories don’t want to do anything any differently - they think our city can bounce back on its own. Not only is this untrue and is taking a big risk with people’s jobs and livelihoods, it does nothing to get to grips with the things about London which we know made the spread of the virus worse, such as existing inequalities caused by overcrowded housing and poverty. Instead, the Tories will take London for granted, and their obsession with actively rejecting London will probably make the situation in our city worse. That’s why the Tories can’t be trusted to lead London’s recovery. They don’t care about London, and a Tory Mayor won’t stand up for the investment the city needs. In contrast, I am determined to be a Mayor who builds back better, making our city a greener, fairer and safer place to live and work. I will provide the leadership the whole city needs, steering it through the coming tricky years, towards a better London. Already, under my leadership, an unprecedented citywide recovery programme has been established. The London Recovery Board, which I as Mayor jointly chair with Councillor Georgia Gould (Leader of Camden Council, and Chair of London Councils), has pulled together for the very first time the most powerful and important organisations and community representatives under one umbrella. The Board includes representatives from the public sector (including local authorities, the NHS, universities and colleges), trade unions, business, voluntary sector, faith and community groups. This is a citizen-powered recovery programme and everything that the Recovery Board has done has been built on in-depth citizen and community engagement so that the work to build a better, fairer and greener city is grounded in the lived experiences of Londoners during this pandemic. The Recovery Board has five overall aims. To: - reverse the pattern of rising unemployment and lost economic growth caused by the economic scarring of Covid-19 - support our communities, including those most impacted by the virus - help young people to flourish with access to support and opportunities - narrow social, economic and health inequalities - accelerate delivery of a cleaner, greener London Underneath this, the recovery work has identified nine missions, which will be the focus for partners and agencies across the city over coming years. These nine are: - High streets for all - Building strong communities - Digital access for all - A green new deal - A robust safety net - A new deal for young people - Healthy food, healthy weight - Helping Londoners into good work - Mental health and wellbeing Delivery of each mission has to abide by a set of principles that focus on key aims like recognising and fighting structural racism and all forms of inequality, delivering a greener city, protecting and improving health and always involving London’s diverse communities in the work that we do. It also has to recognise that safe communities are fundamental to a fair recovery that works for all. In addition, a group of the city’s major anchor institutions - the NHS, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), London Fire Brigade (LFB), local authorities, universities, colleges, faith groups, City Hall and others - are working on how to drive change across the city through their power of procurement, recruitment and their general presence in their local communities. The independent and robust research I have commissioned - looking at both the impact of the pandemic on central London and how to have a rapid recovery - will be used by me to shape our city’s future. If re-elected Mayor, I will keep the London Recovery Board, and build on its successes, so that the city’s anchor institutions, major employers, civil society groups and local communities can continue to contribute to the city’s recovery. Throughout this manifesto you will see how it is built around the recovery programme, and you will see how it fits with the missions and contributes to the overall aims of the Recovery Board. ■ ## LONDON AS A GLOBAL CITY London is a truly global economic powerhouse. But the city’s economy arguably faces its most difficult period since the end of World War II. Fallout from Covid-19 is wreaking havoc on the city’s economy and Brexit is harming our global reputation and competitiveness. But London has survived catastrophic events in the past, and is well placed to make a swift recovery from the current crisis, if the right choices are made. First and foremost, our economic recovery cannot succeed if we don’t get the hundreds of thousands who have lost their jobs during the pandemic back into work. Protecting, preserving and helping to create jobs will be my economic priority. I’ll use all the levers I have to ensure that during my second term we support those Londoners to return to work. A successful recovery also relies on safe and secure communities and institutions, and that’s why I’ll continue to fight against crime, terrorism, extremism, cyber-crime and fraud, which all pose a threat to London’s economy and jobs. But the recovery is also going to take a level of ambition from the Government, equal to that which characterised the post-war rebuilding policies of the 1945 Labour Government, to get our economy back on track. I want to see the furlough scheme evolve into a national jobs guarantee, providing a swift return to employment and the possibility of links with training and apprenticeships. >> LONDON AS A GLOBAL CITY 23 London’s strengths provide solid foundations for recovery: our diversity, openness and capacity for innovation. It’s a uniquely attractive place in which to live, work, visit, study or invest, driven by our history, cultural institutions, universities, and long-standing strength in key sectors such as financial, professional and legal services, as well as our growing reputation for technology, creativity and innovation. We will need to harness and amplify those strengths now as never before. In my first term, I have striven to project London globally, attracting investment, business, and tourists. This task becomes even more important as our economy recovers from the pandemic, and in the aftermath of a Brexit that has left us further from our most important overseas market. It will also be vital for London’s economy to ensure that its communities are safe and secure, and to adapt to new trends and cultural changes. Such changes — like the growth of online retail and shifts towards remote working — didn’t start with the pandemic but have been accelerated rapidly by it. We will continue to lead the way in embracing new technologies and ways of working that benefit Londoners, as well as uses of space. ## PROTECTING, PRESERVING ## AND CREATING JOBS I will continue to call for a national recovery plan equal to the challenge, with major investments in vital new transport infrastructure and in promoting London and the UK globally. In addition, we need more support for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and backing for the key knowledge-based and green growth sectors where London, often working collaboratively with other regions of the UK, is emerging as a global leader. Working with the London Recovery Board, I will lead on delivering a recovery plan for London. And I’ll continue my focus on reviving the city’s economy with a revised economic development strategy for the city that reflects the new reality, working closely with local authorities, trade unions and business. ## A GLOBAL ECONOMIC CAPITAL As we work towards recovery, I’ll continue being the most pro- business mayor London has had, and to champion the city across the globe as a location for investment and the best place to start and grow a business. Entrepreneurs and business leaders are a driving force for our city’s prosperity. I’ll continue to seek their advice — from the I will support the City to be the world leading centre for green finance, including setting up a new financing facility to bring more investment for infrastructure in London. businessmen and women, leaders and groups I’ve forged strong relationships with in my first term and my Business Advisory Board, and the London Covid-19 Business Forum, which I formed to produce a roadmap to the full and safe reopening of London’s economy. Financial and professional services remain at the heart of the UK economy. The Government’s eagerness to conclude a Brexit trade deal that overlooked their needs was an act of economic vandalism. I’ll continue to back London’s status as a global financial hub based on its core strengths — a robust and innovative regulatory system, access to global talent and its reputation as a secure and honest place to do business. I will support the City to be the world leading centre for green finance, including setting up a new financing facility to bring more investment for infrastructure in London. I will reject and fight against misguided suggestions that the key to future prosperity is a race to the bottom on regulation, and I’ll press the Government to pursue stronger arrangements with the EU for London’s world-leading financial services based on our shared high standards. ## CENTRAL LONDON Central London is a global economic and cultural hub in its own right, and it contributes more to the UK economy and the Exchequer than many whole regions of the country. But the pandemic has left it in crisis. Reviving central London will be a priority for my second term. That’s why I’ve recently announced £6 million for a major promotion campaign to support the reopening of London’s economy, encouraging Londoners and visitors back to London’s hospitality, shopping and cultural destinations when it is safe to return. London is also the gateway for the overwhelming majority of foreign tourists coming to the UK, so it’s in the interests of the whole I’ll work with partners to ensure that London’s centre adapts to meet the challenges and needs of our future economy and society sustainably. country to support it through this crisis and help revive it as the economy reopens. That’s why I’ll call upon the Government to join me and businesses in contributing towards these efforts. match the scale of the challenge, and I will work with those organisations prepared to be bold. I’ll continue to back efforts to transform Parliament Square into the world-class space it deserves to be. In the longer term, it’s inevitable that central London will need to evolve, as it has in the past. Late last year I commissioned a major piece of research into the impact of emerging trends on central London and the Canary Wharf area. Following its recommendations, I’ll work with partners to ensure that London’s centre adapts to meet the challenges and needs of our future economy and society sustainably. ### 24-HOUR LONDON London at night is a vital part of what makes our city an attractive place in which to live, work, study and go out. The night-time economy provides 1.6 million jobs across all sectors, from the NHS to logistics, professional services to culture, transport to hospitality. Two-thirds of Londoners are regularly active at night, and before Covid-19 our economy was growing faster at night than during the day. London’s vibrancy around the clock — done in a sustainable and safe way, balancing the wellbeing and needs of all Londoners at night — is crucial to the city’s recovery. To reflect the growing importance of the night time, I appointed London’s first Night Czar. I will also seek to partner with local authorities, landowners, businesses and residents to develop better public spaces, safer streets and more walking and cycling-friendly schemes. London’s ambitions will need to I will continue to support London’s growth as a 24-hour city and ensure the capital’s economy and communities thrive from 6pm to 6am. Our high streets are the lifeblood of our diverse communities across the capital, and their role at night will be crucial to our recovery. I will expand my Night Time Enterprise Zones programme, which proved a success as a pilot scheme in Walthamstow, boosting evening high street footfall by 22%. An integrated and positive approach to London at night requires planning and partnership, which is why my London Plan requires local authorities to develop integrated Night Time Strategies. I will help boroughs access guidance, data and insights to inform strategies, enabling them to plan for every aspect of their area between 6pm and 6am. This will boost opportunities for jobs and ensure the needs of all Londoners are being considered. And across the board, I will continue to ensure that all City Hall’s work considers its impacts on the 24-hour city. My new London Plan also includes the cutting-edge agent of change principle, which is providing increased protections for cultural and night-time venues. As we build back our economy at night, we must create good jobs. I will work to ensure those with jobs at night have equal access to fair pay, conditions and in-work support as those that work during the day. To enable better transport connectivity at night, I introduced London’s first-ever Night Tube and Night Overground, and I will reopen the Night Tube as soon as circumstances allow. I will also do what I can to support safe active travel at night, including walking and cycling, and collaborate with local authorities on plans for lighting to ensure Londoners can get around the city safely and securely at night. Our city at night must be inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, economic background or sexual orientation. Building on the success of the Women’s Night Safety Charter, I’ll ensure London continues to be one of the safest cities in the world for women and girls at night. My work dedicated to protecting London’s treasured LGBTQ+ places and spaces will continue, building on the success of my Culture at Risk office and the dedicated support I currently provide. I am proud of the £2.3m Covid Emergency Fund I established to help our most at-risk cultural venues – to date this has supported 82 artist workspaces, 20 grassroots music venues, 11 LGBTQ+ venues and 15 independent cinemas. ## SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND FREELANCERS London’s small businesses and self-employed have borne the brunt of the economic impact of the pandemic. Their survival is key to our city’s economy — small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for more than half the jobs in our city, bring diversity and vibrancy to its neighbourhoods, and provide the services and facilities that bigger businesses and their employees depend upon. With the limited resources I have, I will continue supporting London’s SMEs. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve launched the Pay it Forward London crowdfunding platform, the Back to Business Fund and the Culture at Risk Fund. We have delivered £1.5m of Covid Business Recovery Grants, £4.3 million in Covid Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) have been secured via Funding London, and more than 2,400 businesses have been supported by the London Business Hub since the pandemic began. I’ve also used £11m of our Adult Education Budget in the Skills for Londoners Covid Response Fund to support learners to develop digital skills and help providers deliver increased and better-quality digital learning. I’ll continue pressuring the Government to provide the financial support needed to weather the storm for as long as restrictions continue, including the business rates holiday and VAT reductions for the worst- affected sectors. I’ll develop London’s offer to SMEs and the self-employed, creating the most advanced and integrated business support offer that London has seen, with a range of programmes helping start-ups and scale-ups across the key sectors of our economy. Building on the new London Business Hub and its network of centres and advisors, I’ll work with boroughs and other partners to further transform small business support in London, with a single front door so business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can easily access the right advice and support. I’ll also work to improve provision for diverse needs and types of business – including specialised offers for social enterprises and community-owned or cooperative business models. The business rates regime is broken, and needs fundamental reform to ensure a fairer deal for businesses in London. I’ll fight for the devolution of business rates so that we can ensure a system that is fair to London’s enterprises while avoiding a race to the bottom between different parts of the country, and in the meantime for the threshold to be raised to reflect the far higher cost of property in London. I’ll support the development of quality and affordable workspaces that suit the changing needs and expectations of small businesses of all types. I will continue to make use of TfL’s estate to provide more affordable workspace that small and growing enterprises need, and work to ensure the best use of industrial land. ## THE WORLD’S CULTURAL CAPITAL London’s world-leading cultural institutions, creative industries and artistic talent are central to our global appeal. They also provide jobs for one in every six Londoners and before the pandemic struck the creative sector was the fastest- growing in the city. The sector has been hit hard by the pandemic, and I will do all I can to ensure it survives through the coming months, and thrives as London recovers. Because of the importance of the sector to jobs and opportunities in the city, I have championed and invested in London’s creativity and culture through my own programmes such as London Borough of Culture and Creative Enterprise Zones, and also through support I have given to the growth and diversification in our night-time economy. I’ve also funded the British Fashion Council helping to deliver London Fashion Week to the tune of more than £1m since I became Mayor, with over £2m for Film London, more than £1m for the London Design Festival and over £2m for the London Games Festival, all of which contribute to London’s global reputation in the creative industries, and create more jobs and opportunities for Londoners. Key investments, such as the £70m I’ve allocated towards a world-class new Museum of London in West Smithfield, will boost confidence. Similarly, the East Bank culture and education district will bring exciting new institutions such as V&A East, Sadler’s Wells East, UCL, London College of Fashion and BBC Music Studios to Stratford. It’s more important than ever that London’s cultural scene has workspaces that creatives can afford. So I’ll look to establish more Creative Enterprise Zones and expand my Creative Land Trusts programme, seeking further investment from commercial and philanthropic partners to shore up creative affordable workspace across the capital. I will continue championing London’s flagship creative economy > **Ongoing work will focus on creating a world-class creative and cultural sector in the east of the city and beyond through the Thames Gateway Production Corridor.** from London Fashion Week and the London Design Festival to the newly established London Games Festival. I want our city to become the global capital of content and my film agency, Film London will support the growth of film and TV, helping to establish more studios to meet demand and generating thousands of new jobs for Londoners. I am proud that with my backing a brand-new film studio is coming to Dagenham. To promote London’s international competitiveness further, I will back an International Centre for Creative Industries in London. Hosting major global sporting events will do much to boost the city over the coming years. I’ll look to make the most of the opportunity presented by holding the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 fixtures in London this summer, including the final and semi-finals, plus the UEFA Women’s Euros in 2022, and bidding to host future global events where this makes sense. I’ll continue to ensure the Queen Elizabeth Park and the London Stadium work for the city, and I will work with the local authorities to agree and begin the implementation of a plan to transition governance for the park as the London Legacy Development Corporation completes its work. And I’ll support flagship annual sporting events including continuing to back the London Marathon and Ride London. ### LONDON IN EUROPE AND THE WORLD London has the soft power to influence and convene across the globe. I’m proud to have used this influence to set an example on air quality and carbon reduction, and to challenge the illiberalism and intolerance that has been on the rise in recent years. I’ll continue to urge others to share our values, and to follow us in taking determined action on the climate emergency. Where things don’t fit our values, I will call them out. This includes the DSEI (Defence & Security Equipment International) arms fair, which has no place in London, and I’ll explore all possible options to end it being hosted in the city. I’ll take moral leadership by working with the London Pension Fund Authority (LPFA) and the trustees of the TfL pension fund to ensure investments are ethical, including divestment from fossil fuels and maximising the good they can do for Londoners. I’ll also continue to champion London across the globe as a place to do business, invest, visit and study, which will be critical during the recovery from the pandemic. London and Partners, the city’s trade, investment and tourism promotion agency, is vital for this, and investment in their work championing our city across the globe will continue to be a priority. In 2016, I launched the London Is Open campaign to show the world that despite Brexit, London is united and open for business, investment, and talent from Europe and around the world. This message has lost none of its resonance following Brexit and will show its enormous value as we emerge from the pandemic. Those who choose to settle in our city from across the globe will continue to be welcome too. The EU citizens who came to make London their home and contribute to our economy, culture and society in myriad ways, are Londoners. They will always belong here and I’ll work tirelessly to protect their rights. I’ll also push for a future immigration policy which keeps London open to European and global talent, and allows businesses and public services to find the people they need at all skill levels. London should have devolved powers in relation to visas so that the system works for our city, including the ability to create our own dynamic shortage occupation list. ## A WORLD-CLASS TRANSPORT NETWORK FOR LONDON Transport for London (TfL) is a worldclass integrated transport authority, showing devolution works and must be protected. But there’s no denying that the pandemic has been a monumental challenge. I’m immensely proud of the way the organisation responded and the heroic efforts of London’s transport workers. The Tories left TfL in 2016 in a precarious position — a £1.5 billion-ayear deficit and no plan to get this to zero. I’ve focused on improving TfL’s finances, making it more efficient and reducing expenditure on consultants. Before the pandemic struck, I had reduced TfL’s deficit by 71% and was on track to eliminate altogether the deficit Boris Johnson left me. The Tories’ abolition of TfL’s central Government operating grant left it over-reliant on fares. When the pandemic led to a collapse in fare income, leaving transport authorities across the globe with huge financial problems, TfL was left facing a crisis of the Government’s making. Over the last year, I’ve had to devote enormous time and effort to fighting for Government support packages for TfL that didn’t punish Londoners. The Tories tried to force an extension to the Congestion Charge to the North and South Circulars and to strip free travel from children and the over60s. But I stood firm and stopped these from happening. I won’t give up fighting for the fairest emergency funding deals I can achieve — but I’ll also argue for a new long-term, sustainable and fair funding model for TfL. I’ll continue campaigning for the restoration of sufficient Government grant funding and the devolution of new funds to London. Only then will the city be able to continue investing in its public transport system and build on the dramatic improvements of the last twenty years. As part of achieving long-term financial sustainability, I’ll ensure TfL continues to be lean and efficient, minimising expenditure on consultants. consultants and agency workers, which we have reduced by 72% in my first term, and considering insourcing when it can be proven to deliver better services and financial benefits — as with the Woolwich Ferry. And if the Government once again forces Londoners to pay more, I’ll do all I can to minimise the impact. I’ve made real progress since 2016 in making the cost of public transport more affordable — freezing TfL fares and introducing the Hopper bus fare, which has seen more than half a billion journeys benefit from cheaper bus travel. That’s why it’s a priority to keep fares — in particular bus fares — as low as possible. To make best use of the network, I will ask TfL to explore the use of more dynamic fare pricing. And I’ll help to protect the Freedom Pass, and continue to ensure that concessions are focused on those who need them most. Londoners pay £500m of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to the Government every year, only for that money to be spent on maintaining roads outside the capital. This is wrong, and I’ll campaign for this money to be retained by the city. If the Government refuses, I will ask TfL to consider other ways of raising income to make up for the loss of VED, in a way which is consistent with my overriding aspirations to tackle London’s problems of congestion and poor air quality. Constant rolling investment in the network is crucial, which is why a long-term financial settlement is so important. The fruits of long-term investment will be seen during the next Mayoral term, with the planned completion of major upgrades to the District, Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan Lines. The Piccadilly Line and DLR will see new trains built, Bank station will be upgraded, and the extensions of the Northern Line to Battersea Power Station, and London Overground to Barking Riverside will be completed. While we don’t yet know how exactly travel patterns might change in the longer term as a result of the pandemic, I won’t lower my ambitions for expanding the public transport network. I’ll lobby for London’s fair share of Government transport investment, prioritising the DLR Extension to Thamesmead, and, when the time is right again, the Bakerloo Line Extension and Crossrail 2. TfL’s London Overground network has grown considerably over recent years, and to reflect this I’ll launch a programme to name individual routes, giving each its own identity. Nobody has been more frustrated than me about the delays to the opening of the Elizabeth Line. TfL took full control of the project in 2020 under my oversight, and I’m absolutely committed to working with Crossrail Ltd to open it as soon as possible. I’ll build on the progress we’ve made in the last five years on rail devolution and I am working with the Department for Transport for the Great Northern services from Moorgate to be transferred to TfL. Where other suburban rail services haven’t performed for commuters, and where there may be benefits in TfL taking them on, I’ll explore this with the Government as it reforms the national rail network. In the aftermath of the tragic Sandilands tram disaster, I’ll continue to ensure all lessons are learnt and acted upon, with the safety of tram and wider transport services a priority. Decades of underfunding for London’s roads maintenance means that repairs to ageing infrastructure become very challenging. The unacceptable situation with Hammersmith Bridge has shown this, and that’s why I’ll continue to work with local authorities to deliver the ferry and press the Government for urgent funding to restore this important river crossing. London’s efforts to clean up our air and encourage more cycling are world-leading. I appointed London’s first Walking and Cycling Commissioner. Investment in cycling has seen the length of protected bike lanes increase five-fold in my first term, with a record increase in ridership and huge growth in the cycle network. I’ll go further, lobbying the Government for funding to electrify buses, working with businesses to support greener last- mile alternatives such as cargo bike schemes, and working toward more freight consolidation and rail freight. I will also continue to work with London’s boroughs and schools to tackle the scourge of idling. London is also home to one of the world’s major airport hubs, and has a number of other airports within and around its borders. My opposition to airport expansion is well known, but at this difficult time I will do everything I can to support the airports and those who work at them, as they’ve been hit hard by the collapse in air travel and have a crucial role in our economic recovery. ## HARNESSING DATA AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR OUR CITY I appointed London’s first Chief Digital Officer with the goal of making London a truly smart city, in which technology and data are harnessed to improve the lives of all Londoners. I developed a Smarter London roadmap to promote citizen-centred design, city data- sharing, better connectivity, a local talent pipeline and new forms of collaboration between public bodies, the tech sector and Londoners. In my second term, I’ll rebuild the London Datastore to be the central register linking data across our city. We will work closely with boroughs through the new London Office of Technology & Innovation and the private sector to join up data on projects to serve the public and support our recovery programmes. Innovation using data already supports sustainable transport choices, so I’ll ask TfL to deliver an enhanced digital experience to people travelling in London. We will create a new Emerging Technologies Charter for London to guide the deployment of sensors and services arising from 5G and artificial intelligence and make their use transparent to the public. High-quality digital connectivity is an essential utility. As the first Mayor to establish and fund a comprehensive plan to coordinate broadband and mobile connectivity with boroughs, we will now use new planning powers to ensure every new development is connected with full fibre. TfL tunnels and public buildings will create a full-fibre spine for London: promoting investment in under-served neighbourhoods, speeding the rollout of fibre across the city and advancing 5G connectivity. Mobile connectivity, currently available in stations and sections of the Jubilee Line, will be extended across the tube network. My Civic Innovation Challenges demonstrated how the talents of London’s world-leading tech sector can be brought to bear on issues like housing, congestion, safety and green transport. In my second term I’ll expand open innovation challenges for public services, research institutions and the tech sector to come together to make our city fairer, cleaner, healthier and easier to get around. ## GOVERNANCE FIT FOR A GLOBAL CITY For a city of its size and importance, London has little power over its own affairs. Other major global cities control considerably more, and decide on how local taxes are best levied. The pandemic has brutally exposed the failings of a country that is over-centralised. The Tories’ own manifesto from 2019 said the days of Whitehall knows best are over, and if ‘taking back control’ means anything, it shouldn’t be the hoarding of powers within central Government. That’s why I will work with business groups to argue for London getting its fair share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. I will continue to advocate for major constitutional reform and push for much more devolution to London of the things that matter. I will work with other Metro Mayors to make this election a referendum on devolution, and make the case that mayors are best placed to determine strategic priorities for recovery, investment and growth, not politicians in Whitehall. The Mayor possesses some powers to bring forward legislation in Parliament, and in the absence of movement from the Government, I will explore producing a Devolution Bill on behalf of all Metro Mayors. The relationship with London’s 32 local authorities and the City of London is crucial to the success of the city, and during the pandemic we have worked better together than ever. I will seek to build on this, and continue to work together on the issues that matter for the city. Government ministers have increasingly opted to use language designed to create division between the rest of the country and the capital, and even taken decisions which could damage growth in London. I’ll mobilise London’s government, business groups and civil society to make the case that London’s success isn’t to the detriment of the rest of the country, but to its benefit. n 3388 SSAADDIIQQ FFOORR LLOONNDDOONN 22002201 ## SAFER COMMUNITIES Keeping Londoners safe is a top priority but a complex challenge in a large metropolitan area that’s home to more than nine million people with millions of visitors every year. I want London to be as safe as possible for every Londoner, and for all of the city’s diverse communities. Even before the pandemic, London faced a range of unique social and economic challenges that placed huge demands on the city’s emergency services. It’s a focal point for protests, serious and organised crime, violent extremism and terrorism, international fraud and modern slavery. Against this backdrop, violent crime has been on the rise nationally and in London since 2014, with serious youth violence on the increase since 2012. However, Covid-19 brought with it a variety of unprecedented challenges. As the virus began to spread across the city, I called together London’s NHS, public health officials, councils, emergency services, business leaders and others to work on the emergency response for our city. This joint working has continued over the last year. I’m proud that as well as working tirelessly every day to keep everyone in our city safe during the pandemic, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and London Fire Brigade (LFB) joined together with the London Ambulance Service to drive ambulances and assist medics to help boost the emergency response. But it is a disgrace that on top of a decade’s worth of cuts to the police and our public services, the Tory Government is now implementing a new era of austerity by freezing public-sector pay, refusing to refund the money spent on tackling the pandemic and the income lost as a result. >> ## FIGHTING FOR THE RESOURCES LONDON NEEDS Over the last five years, I’ve met communities whose lives have been devastated by crime, anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, violence and robbery. I’ve met families who’ve needlessly lost children or siblings to violence and met victims of domestic abuse or sexual violence whose experiences have been so painful to listen to that I know I’ll never forget them. In addition to the human cost, there’s also an economic cost to the city – violent incidents cost London £3 billion in 2018/19. That’s why I’m determined to redouble my efforts. A difficult job at the best of times has been made more difficult by a hostile Government – ministers have forced £850 million of cuts on the MPS, which has spread the police too thinly. Now a whole new financial crisis is threatening the safety of Londoners – policing the pandemic has cost the MPS an extra £58 million. The National and International Capital Cities (NICC) grant, funding for the extra challenges London faces as a global city, is woefully under-resourced. By the Home Office’s own estimates, London should get an additional £159 million a year. As Mayor, I’ll lobby hard for a NICC grant which truly reflects the demands of policing London. Crucial public services and youth centres have been starved of cash — local authority spending on youth services is down 71% since 2010/11. Community groups and youth organisations that work so hard tackling the causes of crime are at risk of folding. As your Mayor, I’ll continue to fight hard for the preventative services that provide positive opportunities for young people. Given Tory cuts to policing and preventive services, it’s hardly surprising that crime rose nationally. Despite this, we’ve made some progress — gun crime offences are down, as are moped-enabled crimes and attacks, burglary, lethal barrelled gun charges, homicide and knife crime with injuries involving people under 25 years of age. But I’m far from complacent and will not waver from efforts to make our city safer. I’ve taken tough decisions on council tax since 2016, and diverted business rates, allowing me to invest record amounts in policing, paying for over 1,000 police officers who, otherwise, would not have been on the streets. I will continue to fund these officers and want to reassure Londoners that over the next term I won’t play electoral politics with people’s safety — I want council tax to be as low as possible but I’ll not apologise for having to increase the council tax precept to keep Londoners safe. > Given Tory cuts to policing and preventive services, it’s hardly surprising that crime rose nationally. Despite this, we’ve made some progress – gun crime offences are down, as are moped-enabled crimes and attacks, burglary, lethal barrelled gun charges, homicide and knife crime with injuries involving people under 25 years of age. I will also continue lobbying the Government to deliver on its promise of 20,000 new officers nationwide and continue to make the case for London to receive the additional 6,000 officers the Commissioner and I both agree are needed. I will increase visible neighbourhood policing — bobbies on the beat — in high crime areas and town centres. ## TOUGH ON CRIME Londoners feel safer when they have confidence that criminals will be caught and punished. But detection rates remain too low. As your Mayor I will continue to do everything in my power to bring crime down and bring criminals to justice, whilst holding the MPS to account. Since being elected Mayor in May 2016, my tough choices and extra investment meant the MPS were able to create the Violent Crime Taskforce (VCTF). Formed of dedicated officers concentrating on the highest crime areas, the VCTF has carried out over 21,200 weapons sweeps, recovered thousands of knives and offensive weapons and arrested more than 10,000 suspects. I’ll continue to support the crucial work of the VCTF, and the new Violence Suppression Units which work alongside them to tackle violent activity at a neighbourhood level. I will use my role as Mayor to hold the MPS to account on their performance, how efficiently extra income is used and how they serve London’s diverse communities. My investment has ensured that every borough in London has at least one police station front counter, every school a school liaison officer and future policing priorities will reflect current and emerging crime trends with a focus on reducing them, including knife crime and other violent crime, drug dealing, burglary and antisocial behaviour. To ensure the MPS can keep up with developing crime trends, investment in new technology to make policing more efficient and safe will be a priority, including providing the resources to develop their capabilities for dealing with serious and organised crime, online fraud and cybercrime. This includes a £187 million investment in transforming MPS tech. But I know people’s privacy is important if we are to retain community confidence. That’s why the police must ensure any new technology is legal, used with as much transparency as possible and that communities are fully engaged. I will ensure that use of data by the police complies with the law and that the recommendations from the review of the Gangs Violence Matrix are fully implemented while also taking action to tackle the gang-related violence which still accounts for some of the most serious crime in London. Beyond the police, the wider criminal justice service is failing Londoners. Courts, prosecution services, prisons and probation — none of which are I will also press the Government to properly fund our criminal justice system – you cannot keep people safe on the cheap. under my control — are failing to punish and rehabilitate criminals, and the public are losing confidence. The pandemic has significantly compounded the existing backlog of cases — increasing delays are effectively denying justice to victims and witnesses and eroding public confidence yet further. I will continue to fight to increase court capacity whilst protecting victims and witnesses. I will push for the victims of rape and other serious cases to have the option to pre-record evidence before a trial is held so they are less likely to withdraw from cases and enable them to access the support they need. Serious and violent offenders are being released from prison unreformed and if it wasn’t for the successful legal action brought by myself and others the serial rapist John Worboys would have been free to wander the streets. I’ll not be shy to intervene in similar ways in the future if the Government’s failings put at risk the safety of Londoners. I will also press the Government to properly fund our criminal justice system — you cannot keep people safe on the cheap. There is often a cliff-edge of support for young people as they transition from youth offending teams to adult probation, resulting in reoffending. To address this, we are piloting a Young Adults Hub. I have done more than any London Mayor to tackle hate crime, but during the pandemic racist — particularly sinophobic — and anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime rates have risen. It will remain a priority to continue to support victims, tackle these appalling crimes and encourage the police to report incidents to the Crown Prosecution Service. The pandemic has horrifically led to a doubling of the rate of incidents of abuse against retail staff, who have done such a fantastic job during the pandemic. That’s why, I back the campaign to introduce legislation which would classify attacking a retail As a Londoner from a minority ethnic background, I’ve experienced first-hand the impact that structural racism here has on society — and I'm committed to stamping it out. worker as an aggravated assault to help ensure that those convicted face tougher criminal sanctions. The pandemic has provided fertile breeding grounds for extremism, as those who seek to divide our communities have taken advantage of more people being at home and online to prey on the vulnerable and isolated. Through the Shared Endeavour Fund, we will provide even more grants to projects that counter violent extremism. I will also continue to work closely with the police, security partners and communities to tackle this threat and commission an update of the Harris Review into London’s Preparedness to Respond to a Major Terrorist Incident. ## TRUST AND CONFIDENCE Keeping the city safe relies on the strength of relationships between the police and all of London’s diverse communities. Without the trust and confidence of Londoners, fewer people come forward to report crimes and provide intelligence. That means criminals don’t get caught, leaving them free to inflict more misery on victims. The summer of 2020 saw Londoners of all ages, races and backgrounds protesting against racial injustice and structural racism following the tragic killing in the USA of George Floyd. I’m proud to stand with the millions of people around the world who are raising their voices and saying loud and clear that Black Lives Matter. As a Londoner from a minority ethnic background, I’ve experienced first-hand the impact that structural racism here has on society — and I'm committed to stamping it out. I also know that the relationship between the police and the communities they serve has improved markedly since I was growing up. There is still more to do, and I’m determined to further improve trust and confidence among Black communities in the police. That’s why, working closely with London’s communities and the MPS, I published a groundbreaking Action Plan to improve transparency, accountability and trust in the police. I’ll ensure that the actions in the plan are delivered in full, and that a constant watch is kept on other ways to improve confidence in the MPS, particularly amongst Black Londoners. It’s good news that there are now over 5,000 Black, Asian and minority ethnic officers in the MPS, more than half of all those across the UK and up from just over 3,000 a decade ago. I will continue to push hard so that the police reflect our city’s diversity by improving the recruitment, retention and promotion of officers from all of London’s diverse communities, those from the LGBTQ+ community and women. There is still a job to be done to ensure that the use of stop and search does not erode trust and confidence. Used legally, in a proportionate way, and based on intelligence, it is an important power for the police to keep our streets safe. Done poorly, it can lead to a breakdown in relations, making the city less safe, not more. To aid the confidence of Londoners and frontline officers, I’ve overseen one of the biggest roll-outs of body- worn video cameras in the world and I’m determined to improve oversight of stop and search through implementing the recommendations in my Action Plan. In particular, I’ll ensure community monitoring structures better represent London’s diverse communities. Trust and confidence are also crucial for victims of crime. This is one of the reasons why I appointed London’s first independent Victims’ Commissioner, who has proven to be a tireless campaigner for improved support and services for victims of crime. This crucial work will continue if I am re-elected, as there is more to do to improve the experience of victims. In particular, I’ll consider the creation of a Victim Care Hub in order to transform the way victims receive support throughout their journey through the criminal justice system and fight for further devolution to London of victims’ services. ## TACKLING THE CAUSES OF CRIME Being tough on crime is a priority but I believe that keeping London safe requires also being tough on the causes of crime. These can be very deep-seated challenges facing society, and linked closely to inequality, lack of opportunity, social alienation and deprivation, many of which are in the gift of national Government to address. I set up England’s first Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to tackle the underlying causes of all violence by adopting a long-term, public health approach. If re-elected, I remain committed to championing its groundbreaking work that paved the way for the Home Office to roll out VRUs across England and Wales. The VRU has primarily focused on supporting young people to cope with adverse childhood experiences and provide routes to protect young people from exposure to violence. Investment of £35 million has reached more than 80,000 young people through peer-to-peer schemes, programmes for youth workers and parents, and by empowering local communities and supporting inclusive schools. I have prioritised intervening at critical moments in a young person’s life by investing in specialist youth workers in custody suites as well as in accident and emergency departments. This has helped thousands of vulnerable young people. As Mayor, I have already invested £3.7 million in a three-year Rescue and Response programme to better understand, target and respond to County Lines offending and victimisation and will continue to invest a further £1.8 million into this programme. I’ll also continue to explore new and innovative ways of tackling other types of illegal drug-related crime and crack down on the criminals who are distributing and selling these drugs. A £5.6 million investment in London Gang Exit services will continue to support hundreds of young people at risk of, or engaged in, serious violence. Government austerity has impacted on youth activities. As Mayor, I set up the Young Londoners Fund, prioritising investment in young Londoners and stepping in where the Government cut money. Through it, I have supported over 300 organisations to provide meaningful activities for more than 110,000 young people. I intend to build on this work and the collaboration forged between leading funders during the pandemic, to create a longer-term, multi-million-pound fund to support young Londoners with positive opportunities and provide a mentor for those Londoners most in need. ## VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS Recent tragic events surrounding the murder of Sarah Everard are a stark reminder that many women and girls do not feel safe in our city. This is simply unacceptable, and I totally understand the wave of support for reclaiming public spaces where women and girls are made to feel unsafe. That’s why I am determined to do all I can to make the whole of our city safe for all Londoners at every time of the day, and to help tackle the lack of confidence many women and girls have in policing and the wider criminal justice system. The truth is, these crimes against women and girls are committed by men. The problem is with men who are sexist or inappropriate, or even in some cases men that are violent. And it's not women who should have to change the way they live their lives — it's men who need to change — and that's why rooting out these abhorrent behaviours is so important. If we are to turn the tide we need to confront and address these behaviours. That’s why I’m a firm supporter of relationship and sex education in schools, teaching young people about respect, dignity and healthy relationships. ​It is why I will continue to invest in programmes to change the behaviour of the perpetrators of domestic abuse. It’s also why I believe we have a duty to tackle misogyny — an unacceptable attitude towards women and girls which, left unchecked, can escalate into more worrying and violent behaviours. > So, I fully support extending hate crime laws to that based on someone’s gender – including misogyny – and for all hate crimes based on protected characteristics to be treated equally, and I will continue to campaign to get this into law. So, I fully support extending hate crime laws to that based on someone’s gender – including misogyny – and for all hate crimes based on protected characteristics to be treated equally, and I will continue to campaign to get this into law. We also need much better data on experiences of women and girls, and I will work to achieve this. My appointment of London’s first independent Victims’ Commissioner has been crucial to our work in improving support and services for the city’s victims of crime. The Victims Commissioner will continue to be a critical role in improving the safety of women and girls, and will continue to work with organisations and agencies to reverse the terrible state of domestic abuse and rape investigations and prosecutions. We know that far too many of these cases fall out of the system before they reach court, so I will continue to work with the MPS to support victims to come forward and help them through the process in order to improve conviction rates. I’ll also refresh the city’s violence against women and girls (VAWG) strategy so it takes a public health approach, includes a focus on prevention and responds to changing pressures, and continue to lobby to change the law to make sexual harassment a specific criminal offence in public spaces. Because demand for therapeutic support far outweighs capacity, we also need more Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) who are trained to offer interim therapeutic support to sexual abuse victims. Services for victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG) have been stretched to breaking point, with long waiting times for those needing support. Sadly, lockdown has led to rising incidents of domestic abuse at a time when frontline services were being placed under additional pressure. Already, I’m investing a record £60.7 million to support the victims of VAWG as well as investing in prevention, and this area will remain a priority. This includes investing in emergency specialist safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse, those with no recourse to public funds, LGBTQ+ and male victims needing to flee their homes during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. I’ll continue to provide those who suffer from domestic abuse with support, and work to ensure that migrant victims can access help without fear. I'll work to ensure there are safe and informal spaces for victims from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds who need to seek support. Improving safety for all passengers on public transport is critical, but is particularly crucial for women. CCTV, which is already installed across nearly all the tube network, is due to be rolled out on the Central Line starting later this year, and will be installed on all the new Piccadilly Line trains being built. I’ll also build on the work of my Night Czar and the Women’s Night Safety Charter which has already seen almost 400 organisations sign up to it. Whilst the right to peaceful protest must be respected, I also support the right of women to choose to have an abortion free of intimidation. I oppose any harassment around clinics and will back buffer zones to prevent threatening behaviour. The scourge of modern-day slavery and the despicable practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) have no place in our city. As Mayor, I will press the MPS hard to prosecute those guilty of these disgusting crimes, and – working with communities and charities – provide support to the victims. ### FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES The devastating fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017 showed just how important fire prevention and safety is for all Londoners, particularly the most vulnerable. There remains much to learn from the tragedy, and I will ensure that the London Fire Brigade (LFB) strengthens relations with all of London’s communities, is more transparent and learns from all official inspections and inquiries. It remains the case that London’s firefighters are saving lives every single day across the city. In spite of Tory austerity, I have protected the LFB’s budgets and, even in this time of stretched resources, provided extra resources needed to keep London safe. On my watch, the LFB has introduced the most advanced fire-fighting equipment in the country including new fire escape smoke hoods, three new 64-metre ladders, and aerial drone technology. I will continue to fight hard for the right levels of Government funding so there are no frontline cuts to the LFB, and thereby ensure the brigade has the funding, tools and equipment it needs to keep the city safe. I will continue to push for LFB’s workforce to reflect London’s diversity. No matter who you are or what your background is, LFB should be a safe and welcoming place to work. This is why the LFB is undertaking a review of its own workplace culture. I support this move but there is much more to do, which is why I am committed to ensuring that the LFB is an attractive and inclusive employer for people from all backgrounds. In the past few years considerable progress has been made by LFB. This will continue and I’ll ensure the LFB fully implements all of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations aimed at them, continuing to publish regular reports on their progress. I will do everything in my power to make sure the other agencies named in the Inquiry Phase 1 report, including the Government, implement the recommendations aimed at them and will act on any further recommendations from **I will continue to fight hard for the right levels of Government funding so there are no frontline cuts to the LFB, and thereby ensure the brigade has the funding, tools and equipment it needs to keep the city safe.** Phase 2. And I will continue to support the Grenfell community in their fight for truth and justice. ### RESILIENCE Even before the pandemic, I was very aware of the many major risks that our city could face. That is why I appointed the city’s first Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience. I published London’s first ever City Resilience Strategy, to help make sure London is prepared for future challenges, including the impact of climate change and extreme weather. The strategy sets out collaborative projects to support resilience in London’s communities, and the mitigating activity needed to ensure London is able to thrive in the face of disruption. As Mayor, I am committed to making sure that London continues to be not only prepared for short-term disruptions but also long-term chronic incidents. # A GREEN NEW DEAL FOR LONDON Throughout lockdown, our wonderful local parks and green spaces have been a lifeline, particularly for those without their own outside space. They’ve provided somewhere to exercise or meet friends in a socially distant way, and we’ve all appreciated cleaner air and the outdoors. But long before coronavirus, London was facing a climate and ecological emergency and suffered from the blight of air pollution. However, the effects haven’t been felt equally, and existing social inequalities within our cities are being exacerbated. Air pollution, prematurely killing thousands of Londoners every year, hits the poorest hardest and evidence mounts by the day that those exposed to filthy air are more susceptible to coronavirus. That’s why environmentalism is a battle for social justice. Already, I’ve led the way by implementing the boldest plans of any major city to tackle air pollution by introducing the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Together with Londoners I’ve planted more trees in one term than the previous Mayor did in two. I’m installing a new generation of free water fountains to reduce plastic waste and I’ve published an environment strategy for the city outlining how London will become more resilient to extreme weather and adapt to longer term climate change impacts. » LOW EMISSION NEIGHBOURHOOD CITY FRINGE UK's First Ultra Low Emission Streets ISLINGTON CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION H Hackney SUPPORTED BY MAYOR OF LONDON Record investment in greener travel, including my recent Streetspace plan, has led to the biggest increase in cycling on record. We’re defending the Green Belt, have become the world’s first National Park City, and greened over 400 hectares through improvements to parks and green spaces. I declared a climate emergency in London, setting out my ambition to be zero-carbon by 2030, and we became one of the world’s first cities to set out a clear plan to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. In a year of vital UN conferences for climate and nature, we need to go much further and faster. I’ll use the unique opportunity of COP26 in the UK this year to showcase London’s leadership on climate action and work with other cities, globally and nationally, to increase our combined ambitions. ## MY TEN POINT PLAN At the heart of the London Recovery Board’s work is environmental sustainability, with a specific mission to deliver a green new deal for the city. To succeed, we need to marshal all of the city’s innovation and energy, and I will throw my full weight behind a green recovery, and commit in my next term to a 10-point Green New Deal. First, London will have the right level of ambition and urgency for the scale of the problems we face. That’s why I’m aiming for London to be carbon-neutral by 2030. There’s no doubt this is an ambitious target that is hard for our city to meet. But unless London is really stretched, we’ll never make the changes we desperately need. To try, and risk missing, is better than not trying at all. Second, I’ll continue working with the city’s major public, private and voluntary institutions to do all we can to reduce carbon emissions. Many of these have come together in the London Recovery Board, and I will mobilise this energy and leadership to ensure London moves faster towards being healthier, greener and fairer. London’s financial institutions have a crucial role to play. I’ll continue to develop the tools that make it as easy as possible for them to invest in green projects. And I’ll do my bit — the LPFA has made massive progress since I was first elected in divesting its £6 billion fund from fossil fuels into green investments and is now down to 0.06%, I will work to get this down to zero. I’ll undertake similar work with TfL to push their independent £10.6 billion pension fund to achieve the same objective, and seek to maximise investments that support this 10-point plan from pension funds and other appropriate investors. Third, I’ll ensure London’s transport system under my control is the world’s greenest. Cleaner, greener public transport means fewer polluting vehicles, and I will work to ensure 80% of all journeys by 2041 are walked, cycled or by public transport. Already, I’ve made the TfL core bus fleet ULEZ-compliant, and if I’m re-elected, I’ll ask TfL to review their current plans for a zero-emission bus fleet by 2037, making the case for Government funding to enable this to be brought forward to 2030. In my first term, I have delivered 2,000 new charging points and 300 new rapid charging points, taking London’s total to 5,500 and 500 respectively — one quarter of the UK's entire charging infrastructure. To build on this network, I’ll bring together the GLA Group, including TfL, the MPS and the LFB, to use existing land and infrastructure to support the rollout of the more than 44,000 charging points that the city will need by 2030. I’ll ensure this approach is open to boroughs, businesses and other institutions to join. Fourth, I promise even more world- leading action on tackling air pollution. The central London ULEZ I introduced in 2019 in the face of Tory opposition has seen toxic emissions slashed by over 40%. But I want more Londoners to benefit from cleaner air, so I’ll expand the ULEZ in October 2021. > Our £52.5m scheme has > helped take almost 9,000 > polluting vehicles off the > road. My London scrappage schemes are proving extremely popular in providing financial support to low-income Londoners and small- business owners. Our £52.5m scheme has helped take almost 9,000 polluting vehicles off the road. I will explore the option of an extension to emergency service workers, as well as calling on the government to commit resources. However, my ambition doesn’t end there — I’ll work with local authorities, Business Improvement Districts and communities that wish to go further and introduce zero-emission zones. Beyond the expansion of ULEZ, I’ll monitor all existing road-charging schemes to ensure they continue to bring the maximum benefits of improved air quality and reduced congestion, and I’ll identify where further action is needed to eradicate hotspots for air pollution. Given impacts on air quality, climate change and noise nuisance, I’ll continue to oppose the Tory Government’s plans for a third runway at Heathrow as well as any expansion of flights at City Airport. I’ll work with the city’s airports, so that everything possible is being done to reduce exposure to toxic air, particularly to those who work at airports. I’ll also fight for updated legislation that introduces a national target of WHO-recommended standard for PM2.5 by 2030, and also gives London additional powers to clean up London’s air pollution beyond transport. Fifth, I commit to bring nature closer to Londoners and to protect, restore and improve green spaces in the city. This will improve biodiversity, increase habitats for birds, pollinators and wildlife, absorb pollution, provide shade, reduce flood risks and help London adapt to climate change. Now more than ever we know that access to nature is crucial for both physical and mental health, and that’s why all Londoners should live no more than a 10-minute walk from green space. Currently this isn't the case, so I’ll improve London’s network of green corridors and open spaces that connect with town centres, public transport, places of work and people’s homes. London has a thriving web of nature on people’s doorstep and I’ll support schools and local communities who wish to create or enhance nearby green space. Environment groups, local authorities and housing associations that retrofit housing estates with poor access to green spaces will also be supported. I’ll work with private and charitable donations to create the investment we need to fund mass tree-planting, rewilding, pocket parks and greening projects. I want to see more green walls and roofs across the city, and I commit TfL to continue greening bus shelter roofs and planting wildflowers on central reservations and embankments. TfL will also support The Royal Parks in its ambition to reduce polluting traffic rat-running through our city’s most famous green spaces. Sixth, the Green Belt remains important for endangered wildlife and biodiversity, as well as being our city’s lungs. I’ll continue to oppose building on the Green Belt, which is as important today as it was when it was created and, other than in exceptional circumstances, protect London’s playing fields from development. I’ve already banned fracking, and will defend this ban should the Government try to overturn it. > **the Green Belt remains** > **important for endangered** > **wildlife and biodiversity,** > **as well as being our city’s** > **lungs.** Some Green Belt constitutes poor quality green space and is under threat, so I’ll work on rewilding, planting orchards and forests to strengthen the Green Belt’s defence against development. I’ll promote increased access to the city’s green fringes to raise awareness of the nature that is on Londoners’ doorsteps. Seventh, I’ll lead a clean energy revolution in London. As customer number one, I’m proud London Power is up and running, and challenging traditional energy suppliers with my commitment to provide 100% clean electricity at fair prices. I want more Londoners to benefit from clean affordable energy and I’ll also explore new ways to help people cut carbon in the home and save money. I will use the combined energy buying power of the GLA, TfL, and other Mayoral bodies to obtain the cleanest bulk purchase agreements, attracting new investment and increasingly powering the Tube from renewable sources. I’ll extend this offer to boroughs, and also make sure TfL is using its land to support renewable energy generation. I will continue to support London as a solar energy city, helping residents join up with other solar buyers and using group-buying models to unlock savings and make solar more affordable for all Londoners. Additionally, I’ll continue to fund the installation of solar panels on schools, community centres and industrial estates as well as supporting other community energy groups that are helping their neighbourhoods transition to clean, local energy. Eighth, I’ll lead the country on carbon standards for housing. Because I strengthened the planning process, London is already ahead of national building regulations in the amount of carbon saved when building new homes. There will be no weakening > I’ll lead a clean energy revolution in London. of these high standards, and I want to go further, exploring opportunities to set up a leading centre which will accelerate the piloting of innovative and deep approaches to retrofitting properties to meet our climate targets, and making sure housing on GLA land is of the highest standards. I’ll lobby the government for the funds London needs to retrofit millions of homes, ensuring a targeted approach for those residents who need warm, healthy houses the most. I’ll fight for the powers to mandate minimum energy efficiency standards in existing homes — essential in meeting London’s 2030 carbon-neutral target. And I will build on policies in the London Plan that require developers to count the cost of their embodied carbon as well as their emissions, ensuring the accounting of the full impact of our built environment. Ninth, I’ll lead efforts to make London a zero-waste city by working with local authorities and communities to prevent, re-use, recycle or recover waste. My powers over local authorities are limited, but I’ll push all 32 boroughs to provide the full range of doorstep waste collections, including food waste. I’ll work with London’s food sector to reduce waste as part of London’s status as one of three flagship global cities looking at a circular economy. And I’ll ensure that the London Recovery Board’s mission to create healthier diets includes a focus on those that are sustainable and good for the planet. A zero-waste city also means investing in the circular economy, supporting small businesses that can turn waste into new sustainable products. Where we cannot reuse food waste we should seek to use it to generate energy through anaerobic digestion. I’ll continue to oppose new incineration in London and ensure that where it already exists, it is working to the highest standards and capturing energy from waste to heat local houses. To reduce the number of single-use plastic bottles, my network of water fountains will continue to expand across the city. I’ll also continue to grow my Refill London scheme, growing the 3,300 refill points that already exist across the city. At City Hall, I have ensured free drinking water is available and ended the use of plastic cutlery, and I want to source as much of our food from London as possible. London should be allowed to decide for itself whether a disposable coffee cup tax or a glass bottle deposit scheme works for the city. I’ll fight for the powers to positively influence behaviour, reduce waste and clean up our streets. Finally, I want to support the London Recovery Board’s ambitious target to double the size of London’s green economy sector by 2030, developing the green jobs and skills that the city needs. London’s transition must be a just one, developed in collaboration with unions to assist those sectors and communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic and enabling them to thrive in a future zero-carbon economy. My Green New Deal will support green jobs that are diverse, sustainable, meaningful and well-paid. Building on the work of my Green Spaces Commission, I will support a green skills academy that will help Londoners from all backgrounds into new green jobs and apprenticeships. n 6600 SSAADDIIQQ FFOORR LLOONNDDOONN 22002201 ## SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LONDONERS A generation of young Londoners failed by successive Tory Governments is now being hit hard by the pandemic. Inequalities between young Londoners, that affect their chances in life and the opportunities that come their way, are being made worse by the pandemic. Those out of work as a result of the economic fallout from coronavirus are disproportionately young Londoners. Having lived through the mass unemployment of the 1980s, I’m determined to do all I can to avoid a repeat. Mental health services, already inadequate and struggling to cope with demand prior to the pandemic, are having to cope with an explosion of mental ill-health caused by isolation of young people from their friends, and anxiety about the future. I’ll do everything within my powers as Mayor to support the next generation of young Londoners. The London Recovery Board has placed young people at the heart of our work, covering mental health, the digital divide, skills, mentoring and youth services. >> This includes using the recruitment and procurement power of London’s anchor institutions to give new opportunities to young people and I will ensure City Hall, TfL, the MPS and LFB play their full role in this work. I will also ensure that the work City Hall is doing is communicated to young people in a clear and transparent way, involving young people in helping to design this. ## MY AMBITION FOR YOUNG LONDONERS Growing up, my childhood wasn’t always easy but I was fortunate to grow up in a council home and to attend good state schools. Sport played a crucial role in my younger years – with cricket, football and the local boxing club providing me with positive opportunities. That’s why I’m determined to fight for current and future generations to get the support and opportunities that I enjoyed as a child in London. I now have the perspective of a dad and, as with other parents, I want the best for my children. I want them to grow up in a safe, green and healthy city that nurtures and supports them to fulfill their potential, with positive meaningful opportunities for everyone regardless of who they are or where they live. Even before the pandemic, London still had some way to go to meet my ambition. Many young people grow up in poverty, facing obstacles all through their formative years. Some are exposed to violence in the home and in their local community, scarring lives and leaving potential unfulfilled. It’s absolutely heartbreaking that some have had their lives tragically cut short – leaving families and communities devastated and meaning they never get the chance to go on to achieve their potential. A decade of Tory austerity has torn at the social fabric of our city – crucial public services like schools, hospitals, mental health services, youth services and affordable housing have all had their budgets slashed. For some young Londoners success feels like a distant reality. Yet I’ve met many young Londoners throughout the last few years and I’m always bowled over by their energy and dynamism. They are an asset to London, and I know they’ll contribute enormously to the future success of the city. We must ensure they get the right support. ## THE BEST START IN LIFE All Londoners should have a healthy start in life – it’s vital for health and success in adulthood. It’s a matter of shame that our city has some of the biggest health inequalities in the country, particularly so for young people. Our child obesity rates are shocking — two in every five children are overweight or obese. I’m determined to help turn this around. The pandemic has made it much harder for young people to be outside and stay active, especially those who don’t live somewhere with a garden. Food poverty has worsened and the Tory Government’s appalling approach to free school meals and food vouchers has meant it is more difficult to make sure children have access to fresh nutritious food. Already, I’ve established the world-leading London Childhood Obesity Taskforce, whose purpose is to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up eating healthily, drinking plenty of water and being physically active. I’m contributing directly with my junk food advertising ban on the TfL network, and by my new London Plan restricting the opening of new fast-food takeaways within 400 metres of schools. I’ve also supported the running of the Daily Mile in schools, established a Healthy Early Years Programme to help give under-5s the best start in life with almost 1700 nurseries and children’s centres now signed **I’ll work with councils to** **support more play streets** **throughout the year so** **that children can have the** **opportunities to play safely** **in the streets of London.** up and, I will roll out my plan that by 2025 every Londoner lives in a healthy food neighbourhood — with an expanded role for School Superzones. But I want to do more. I’ll lead the drive to expand the number of water-only schools, reducing consumption of sugary drinks by children. Some Labour-controlled local authorities in London already provide free healthy school meals for all primary school pupils, and I’ll lobby the Government to provide the funding for this to be universal. I’ll also continue to support more School Streets — enabling more young people to walk to school while cleaning up the air at the same time. I’ll work with councils to support more play streets throughout the year so that children can have the opportunities to play safely in the streets of London. I will work with partners to encourage every school and college governing body to include a health professional. The early years of a child’s life are crucial to their future development and educational attainment and I have invested in improving the quality and access to early education, especially for the most disadvantaged children. Early-years childcare education is also essential to support working parents, but the sector is in crisis due to the pandemic. Working mothers have been disproportionately impacted and are more likely to have lost their jobs. I will provide business support to the sector and I will call on the Government to do everything in its power to support these key services which are vital to London’s economic recovery and a lifeline to many of London’s working families. To support young people’s mental health services I’ll lobby the Government hard for the additional investment desperately needed. I’ll invest in rolling out mental health first aid training across London’s schools and also work with the NHS to ensure every London school and young person’s setting has a mental health worker. I’ve already started work to ensure that by 2025 London will have a quarter of a million wellbeing ambassadors, supporting Londoners where they learn, live, work and play. ## **EDUCATING, PROTECTING AND EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE** I’m working to close the digital divide, allocating £1.5m towards school children accessing the equipment they need to learn throughout the pandemic and beyond. I’ve also invested to help attract high-quality teachers to the city through Teach London and supported current teachers to become the leaders and headteachers of the future. I’ll fight hard for the funding schools and colleges need to succeed, oppose moves to reduce education expenditure in London and argue for more control for London over-16-19 skills. I back the making of relationships education for primary pupils and relationships and sex education for secondary pupils compulsory. Promoting learning about positive, healthy relationships of all shapes and sizes will help counter unhealthy attitudes and behaviours which can, if left unchecked, evolve into bigotry, discrimination and even violence. I’ll stand up for children with special educational needs (SEND) so that provision matches demand and I’ll lobby the Government to increase the overall funding for SEND Londoners. Through our responsibilities on adult skills and employment I’ll invest in building the capacity and expertise of teachers to create a more inclusive education and skills system. I’ll work with local authorities better to support inclusive education across London, so that we can improve the promotion of opportunities for young people, and tackle the growing problem of exclusions. My VRU will continue its innovative work supporting young people most at risk of violence through the provision of meaningful and positive opportunities. The Government’s National Citizen Service (NCS) is currently a disappointment in London. I’ll call on the Government to devolve funding and responsibility for the NCS in London to City Hall, so that it can be aligned with existing activities and be more effective at supporting young people. I will support young Londoners into good work to give them and our economy the best chance of recovery and will work with local authorities and the Government to bring unemployment for young people down. I’ll provide more information and support on future job options across key growth sectors, and lobby for further devolution of careers support from the Government so that London can have an all-age careers service. Apprenticeships are crucial for many Londoners – I’ll continue to champion them, ensuring they are available for all Londoners regardless of background, as well as promoting their use within the GLA family. Young Londoners are full of creative potential, but our world-class creative industries aren’t making the most of all of the city’s talents. That is why I’ll partner with the creative industries sector to strengthen and diversify the pipeline of young people going into this area of work. As a proud alumnus of the London Metropolitan University, I know how lucky London is to have so many great universities and what an enormous contribution they make to the success of the city. I’ll be London’s further and higher education sector’s biggest champion, meeting with them regularly, and pushing hard for the resources and access to students and talent they need in order to continue flourishing. To help young Londoners get around the city, opening up access to education, skills and job opportunities, I have protected young people’s travel concessions despite the Tory Government **I remain committed to supporting young people in playing an active role in civil society and the way our country is run.** threatening to take them away. I commit to maintain young people’s travel concessions and for care leavers who often need extra support with travel costs, I’ll ensure TfL introduces half-price travel. I remain committed to supporting young people in playing an active role in civil society and the way our country is run. To ensure as many eligible young people as possible are on the electoral register – a group which is historically underrepresented particularly by those from minority ethnic and low- income backgrounds – I’ll continue to support targeted electoral registration programmes working with young Londoners and campaign groups. I continue to back lowering the voting age to 16 to give young people power over their futures. I’ll continue to campaign for the Government to reduce the exorbitant fees charged by the Home Office to gain UK citizenship and I’ll support efforts to regularise the immigration status of young Londoners. I will prioritise opportunities and support for young Londoners by building on the success of my Construction Academy. Establishing more sector-specific skills academies in growth sectors, including the green economy, digital, tech, health and social care and creative industries, will give young Londoners a competitive advantage in securing good jobs for them and London’s economy. I’ll also increase the funding from the Adult Education Budget to Londoners on low incomes and those who face significant barriers with life-changing provision such as free English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes. MAYOR OF LONDON WE ARE ALL LONDONERS #Lond ...Londoners Gla... ...śmy Londoners ...unt ## EMERGING FROM ## THE PANDEMIC ## A FAIRER, ## HEALTHIER AND ## MORE EQUAL ## LONDON My vision is of a city that is fairer and more equal. I’m not prepared to accept that inequality and prejudice are inevitable or that we are powerless to do anything about it. Bringing to bear the full power of the Mayor, we can make progress. However, without a government prepared to deploy its vastly superior resources to take on the ingrained and deep-rooted structural causes of inequality, there’s always a limit to what we can do from City Hall. So, I’ll push for the policies we need at a national level and for the funding needed to tackle inequality in London. Despite what many believe, London faces similar, if not worse, social problems to many other parts of the UK. When housing costs are taken into account, London has more households and children living in relative poverty than anywhere else in the country. One in nine households is in fuel poverty in London, unable to meet the cost of heating their home. >> Even before Covid-19, it was clear that our city’s prosperity has not been shared by all Londoners. Many have seen the wealthiest grow wealthier still, while communities become poorer, high streets deteriorate and local independent businesses suffer. In the past year, the pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated inequalities that have long existed in London. The proportionately highest death tolls from the virus have been among people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, older people and disabled people. Londoners losing their jobs due to the fallout from coronavirus and the highest concentrations of those furloughed have mainly been in low-paid sectors, from the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Simultaneously, the eruption of anger at the murder of George Floyd showed us that, despite the progress that has been made, the push for racial equality is as urgent as ever. I support the Black Lives Matter movement and I’m determined that London’s government and public institutions will be open to learning from it and challenging ourselves to do better. As we emerge from the pandemic, I’ll put equality and fairness at the heart of the London recovery programme. I’ll fight for a more cohesive and socially integrated London that is safer, healthier and happier, and stand up for London’s values and to those who threaten them. Now is also the right time to look afresh at how we measure our success as a city. For years, we’ve measured prosperity — like most cities and countries — in terms of material wealth that is generated by our economic activity. But the strength, sustainability and wellbeing of our economy and society are not currently properly reflected. So I’ll work with others to establish a new measure of wellbeing in London as the core indicator of our city’s success as a place to work and live for all its residents. ## RECOGNISING AND CELEBRATING LONDON’S DIVERSITY London’s diversity is one of its greatest assets and I’ll use every opportunity as Mayor to be its champion. We are one of the most diverse cities in the world, yet hugely symbolic parts of our public realm — including our statues, plaques and street names — largely reflect a bygone era, and leave many Londoners feeling that people like them are not visible or celebrated in our city. I have established a Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm to lead work to increase the presence of under-represented groups including women, Black, Asian and minority ethnic, LGBTQ+ and disabled Londoners. To commemorate our links between our imperial history and the slave trade, I’ll support a slavery memorial alongside educational programmes. Support will be given to the efforts of the National Sikh War Memorial Trust to recognise the brave contribution made by Sikhs in defence of our country during both world wars. I’ll also work to commemorate those who have died during this pandemic and those who have given up so much to keep as safe. We have been through a time where the major events that do so much to bring our communities together have had to move online or been cancelled altogether. As we emerge from the pandemic I want them back, better and more colourful than ever. So when it is safe, I will support religious and cultural festivals once more taking their place as centrepieces in the city’s calendar of events, including Christmas, St George’s Day, Diwali, Eid, St Patrick’s Day, Lunar New Year, Vaisakhi, Black History Month, Chanukah, Pride and UK Black Pride. Building on the success of Africa in London, I’ll also develop, in collaboration with London's Black communities, an event to celebrate Black culture. I stand firm in my solidarity with London’s LGBTQ+ community. I’ll continue to provide support to Pride, and to use my influence to strengthen Pride’s links with those groups and communities that gave birth to the movement. I’ll also support plans for a new LGBTQ+ community centre for London. Trans rights are human rights and I’ll proudly stand up against any abuse directed against Trans people and the wider LGBTQ+ community. I’ll continue to provide support from City Hall to the many EU citizens who continue to make their home in London. I’ll also fight for all foreign nationals who contribute to our city by living, working and paying tax to be properly recognised and to be allowed to vote in elections. And I’ll also continue to press the Government for an amnesty for undocumented migrants, so as to avoid any repeat of the Windrush scandal. I want to ensure undocumented migrants feel confident enough to come forward and access the Covid-19 vaccines on offer. Nobody should be put off seeking protection, justice or care because of their immigration status. I will resist attempts by the Government to use frontline workers such as NHS staff, the police and rough sleeping outreach teams to enforce their hostile environment immigration rules. “To commemorate those Londoners, including key workers, who have lost their lives to Covid-19, I’ll plant a new garden of blossoming trees in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.” To commemorate those Londoners, including key workers, who have lost their lives to Covid-19, I’ll plant a new garden of blossoming trees in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. And TfL will also create a memorial in honour of the transport workers within the wider TfL family who tragically lost their lives. ## TACKLING DISCRIMINATION I know from experience what it’s like to be on the end of racial abuse — having brown skin and a different religion affected the way I was treated when I was growing up. But it’s a sad reality that Londoners today still face discrimination and prejudice because of who they are. or what they look like. Much of this is ingrained and embedded in the structure of society, and only with a strong focus on changing this, with support from the Government and strong leadership from City Hall, will we make a difference. Discrimination and prejudice can spill over into hate crime, which is frightening and degrading for victims and can have a lasting and lifelong impact. It’s also a poison that can spread fear throughout whole communities, as we have seen with the disgusting rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. At its most extreme, left unchecked, it can even escalate into extremism and violence. That’s why I’m unapologetic at pledging zero tolerance of all forms of hate crime. I pledge to do all I can to tackle it, working closely with communities and campaign groups to make Londoner a more pleasant place. ## **TRUST AND CONFIDENCE** ## **IN LONDON’S PUBLIC** ## **INSTITUTIONS** Public institutions charged with looking after, protecting and supporting us should always deliver the same level of service regardless of someone’s background, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or skin colour. In London, since the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report, we have made progress in improving community confidence in the police but challenges still remain. With the Action Plan written with the help of London’s communities and the MPS – we have sought to build on the work of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report to further improve people’s confidence in the police. Community confidence also goes much wider than just the police. Similar lack of trust and confidence can affect other public institutions – vaccine hesitancy affecting certain communities more than others has been the most recent high-profile example. That is why I’ll use my powers and influence as Mayor to ensure London’s public authorities and institutions discharge their duties equally and fairly, so that all communities can have trust and confidence in them. ## **LEADING BY EXAMPLE** With an increasingly tight budget, I will work ever harder to ensure every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent efficiently, through maximising collaboration across the GLA family and other public bodies. There will be full consideration of the maximum social and environmental benefits contracts can deliver, as part of a wider community wealth building agenda, making the most of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. I’ll ensure the GLA Group Responsible Procurement policy is regularly updated, driving up pay and conditions in companies paid to deliver services for London. I expect all employers to be willing to have a trade union recognition agreement for all their employees, and will use GLA procurement to maximise their use. Some private-sector delivery has on occasions fallen short of the high standards Londoners deserve. That is why I’ll look, when opportunities arise, to bring services back in house. I’ve already started by bringing the failing Woolwich Ferry back in house. I will instruct TfL to review its cleaning contract with ABM, including an assessment of extending the free travel cleaners receive whilst at work to their journeys to and from work. Bus drivers are among the frontline key workers who have made personal sacrifices to keep Londoners moving during the pandemic. Transport workers being among those key workers who have suffered the biggest losses to Covid-19 is a tragedy. Over the last five years, we've made progress on bus driver pay and conditions, but I will go further. I'm committed to introducing a fairer pay structure for bus drivers, and will continue to drive change, building on the progress made with the starter minimum wage, License for London and retention payment scheme. Installing toilets at the end of bus routes is providing dignity for hard-working bus drivers and I’ll continue with this investment. In addition, after I personally commissioned a report on bus driver fatigue which raised worrying concerns, I’m committed to working with the trade unions and bus operators fully to address its findings – including action relating to facilities, scheduling and workplace culture. All frontline workers on our transport network must be safe to go about their jobs – working with the unions, I’ll do all I can to improve safety and ensure zero tolerance of physical or verbal abuse. I’ll demand the highest standards in employment practices and focus recruitment on ensuring that City Hall, TfL, the MPS and the LFB look like the city they serve. I’m the first Mayor to publish gender and ethnicity pay audits and have action plans in place on how we plan to end the gaps – and I’ll extend these to include disability pay audits. I’m proud that as a result of action brought in since I became Mayor, we’ve substantially reduced City Hall’s gender pay gap and I’m determined to repeat this across the rest of the GLA Group. My innovative ‘Our Time’ programme is supporting more women into leadership roles and I will explore ways to build on this success. I will continue to demand a gender balance in all my appointments to Mayoral boards and expect them to reflect the full diversity of London. Women have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and I’ll launch a cross-sector policy forum to coordinate efforts to advance gender equality after Covid-19. I’ll also bring greater coordination to City Hall’s work supporting older Londoners, as part of our work on social integration and communities. The GLA will be a workplace that is welcoming and supportive for everyone. Major progress since 2016 has seen City Hall make the top 25 LGBTQ+ workplaces in the country in the Stonewall Index. But I’m determined to see further improvement, and will work with the trade unions and staff networks in continually seeking new ways of driving up standards, starting with a new workplace policy for people going through the menopause transition. I also know the important role the trade union movement plays in improving fairness and equality in the workplace, having seen at an early age how my dad benefitted from being a trade union member. I’m proud to sit down regularly with the unions representing workers across the GLA family. This positive engagement is in stark contrast to the conflict under my Tory predecessor and that seen on many of the privately-run rail companies in south London. Days lost to strikes on London Underground are down by around 77%. I want to build on this, and continually improve employment relations. I was proud to sign up to an updated Armed Forces Covenant during my first term as Mayor, and I pledge to continue to do all I can from City Hall to support the military through their careers and beyond. I will look into what more can be done to improve access to public toilets — building on my work to support improved access through my London Plan and City Hall Regeneration funding. This will include ensuring toilets on the TfL network are as accessible as possible and, where possible, free to use. ## EMPOWERING DISABLED LONDONERS I will work with disabled people’s organisations to ensure that I am doing everything in my power to fight for equal access and equal opportunities for deaf and disabled Londoners. At the same time, I > I will work with disabled people’s organisations to ensure that I am doing everything in my power to fight for equal access and equal opportunities for deaf and disabled Londoners. will ensure that the GLA involves disabled Londoners — and considers their needs — in all our work. Helping everyone to get around the city is crucial to the independence and dignity of older Londoners and the deaf and disabled. I am committed to continuing the roll out of step-free stations and will make the case for Government funding to allow this to happen at pace. Thirty percent of the Tube network — 81 stations — are now step-free, with a further six stations due to go step- free by the end of this year. I will ask TfL to develop its future step-free access programme in collaboration with disabled and older Londoners, and to review the way TfL currently supports accessibility across the network to ensure we continue to do all we can to help all Londoners get around the city. Dial-a-Ride and Taxicard schemes remain crucial to my transport plans given how important they are to helping older and less mobile Londoners get around the city. I will ask TfL to provide guidance on removing access barriers — ensuring the design of pavements, parks, and paths considers everyone’s needs, and helping to diversify cycling. Through my new London Plan, I’ll work with local authorities and developers to ensure all new developments are accessible to all Londoners, regardless of any disabilities, and insist on the highest design standards. Not all disabilities are visible, so workers across the GLA family — especially in TfL — will be trained in how to support people who have dementia, autism and other hidden disabilities. ## DRIVING CHANGE ACROSS LONDON I proudly tell global audiences that London is the best place in the world in which to do business but I also want to make it the best place in the world in which to work. Given how many of the people who kept our city moving during the pandemic struggle to get by on what they are paid, this is increasingly urgent. The London Living Wage has a major role to play. I have championed its adoption, and it’s going from strength to strength, the number of accredited employers having more than doubled since I took office. I will work with the Living Wage Foundation to expand further the number adopting it, and help make London a Living Wage City. My Good Work Standard (GWS), launched in 2019, set a new benchmark for good employment practice in London. To date, more than 90 employers are accredited, employing over 210,000 workers. In my second term, we will work to increase the number of employers accredited to the GWS, constantly ensure it is driving up workplace standards and expand it to incorporate a new programme specifically aimed at micro- businesses, relevant to the needs and circumstances of employers and employees in London’s 600,000 businesses with 10 or fewer staff. Work in the gig or freelance economy plays an increasing role in London’s labour market. In the right circumstances, it can be empowering and can allow workers desired flexibility. But when abused by unscrupulous businesses it creates a race to the bottom in low pay, insecurity and bad practice. I welcome the recent Supreme Court ruling, and in lieu of the Government legislating in this area, I’ll work with partners to produce a charter for on-demand work in London in order to drive up standards, which I’ll ask businesses in relevant sectors to sign up to. I will also consult on a similar charter for creative freelancers, many of whom have been cruelly excluded from Government support and consequently faced devastating financial circumstances during the pandemic. As well as working with good employers, I will not hesitate to speak out against unscrupulous employment practices and bad employers. Having secured devolution of the Adult Education Budget, I’ll tailor adult skills funding towards what our economy and Londoners most need as we recover. Through offering Basic Digital Skills for Londoners, I’ll help equip people with low or no digital skills with the tools they need to cope with increased digitisation of the workplace. Building on the success of my Digital Talent Programme and as part of my Digital Access for All recovery mission, I’ll do more to equip Londoners and London businesses with digital skills they’ll need in the future. To support greater social integration, I’ll use my new responsibilities for skills to expand access — including to refugees — to ESOL, so devastatingly cut by the Tory Government. I’ll also explore better ways to improve coordination of ESOL provision across the city, working closely with the boroughs. I’ll also seek to develop partnerships with employers to support routes into employment for ex-offenders. But it’s also more than just skills — I want all employers to do more to make sure their workforces reflect the diversity of the city. I’m leading by example across the GLA family with initiatives to increase diversity, and I will champion and challenge employers across the city to do the same. My Workforce Integration Network (WIN) initiative — focusing on increasing ethnic diversity in the construction and tech sectors — is proving a success, as are my Good Growth by Design programme, and the Mayor’s Construction Academy. I commit to expanding this work to other sectors, starting with culture and creative industries, and use similar initiatives to focus on other groups that are under- represented in the workplace. I know many Londoners in need of help do not know where to turn for support on employment rights, and other areas of social advice. Since the Tories slashed legal aid, many free legal advice centres have disappeared. I’ll support the work of the London Recovery Board looking at the advice and support landscape across London, and see where more coordination can improve what is on offer. This includes building on a pilot I launched with the Child Poverty Action Group in schools to work with parents on maximising take up of eligible benefits including the take up of childcare vouchers. London weighting, paid in many sectors and businesses as a reflection of the added cost of living in the city, hasn’t been updated in many years. There are also inconsistencies in how it is applied, and rules which are no longer relevant for today’s London and the discrepancies lead to some groups feeling less valued than others. While City Hall has no statutory responsibility for the London weighting, I’ll draw together evidence on how it is applied across the city, and issue guidance on how to bring greater clarity and uniformity. I’ll lobby the Government to bring forward any legislative changes required to implement recommendations arising from this > I want all employers to do > more to make sure their > workforces reflect the > diversity of the city. work. The Government’s recent decision to abolish the university teaching grant London weighting shows its intentions towards the city, and I will oppose any attacks on other London weightings. ### FAIRER HOUSE BUILDING I was fortunate to grow up in a council home which gave my family security and an affordable rent. After saving up for many years, and living with my parents well into adult life, I was lucky to get on the housing ladder and buy a place of my own. But I regularly meet Londoners who haven’t had those same opportunities. Coronavirus has shone a fresh light on the housing pressures in our city, with too many Londoners living in overcrowded homes and battling unaffordable housing costs. But by investing in new genuinely affordable homes and supporting those who need it, we can help our city recover. Over the last five years, in the face of a Tory Government failing to tackle the housing crisis, we’ve shown how things can be done differently. I’ve used the full force of the powers and funding available to me to make a difference and get London building the council and genuinely affordable homes our city needs. When I became Mayor in May 2016, we were starting from rock bottom. A dodgy definition of ‘affordable housing’ totally detached from the incomes of Londoners. Not a penny from the Government to fund the most affordable homes for social rent. In the year when I took over, the previous Mayor had only started work on just three homes for social rent funded by City Hall. Five years later, after enormous efforts across our city, we are turning things around. I have ditched the Tories’ dodgy definition of ‘affordable’ which allowed rents at up to 80% of the market rate. In 2019/20 alone, we started building over 17,000 genuinely affordable homes, more than in any year since City Hall records began. This includes over 7,000 homes for social rent, and more than 3,000 new council homes – the highest level since 1983. I’ve met some of those moving into the new genuinely affordable homes built since 2016 – seeing their joy is a reminder of how much this means to people. But I know this is unfinished business and I want your support to carry on the progress that’s being made. We mustn’t allow the Tories to wind the clock back to letting developers get away with focusing on building luxury flats which Londoners on ordinary incomes can’t afford. My relentless focus will be on building more council and other genuinely affordable homes. My target is for 10,000 new council homes through my landmark council housing programme and I’ll also explore the creation of a new 'right to buy back' fund, supporting councils to purchase homes previously sold through the right to buy. I’ll commit my new affordable homes programme to building a majority of homes at social rent, with new space, safety and quality standards to show that social housing can deliver homes that are not just more affordable than the private market, but better quality too. I’ll expand my pioneering land fund to intervene in the land market and deliver more genuinely affordable homes. In recognition of the huge efforts by London’s key workers during the pandemic, I’ll back frontline health workers, firefighters, transport > **My relentless focus will be on building more council and other genuinely affordable homes.** workers and others to get priority for new intermediate homes, such as for shared ownership and London Living Rent. In developing a new list of key worker occupations, I’ll continue to engage and consult with trade unions, councils and others and encourage more uniformity across the city. I’ll build on the work already started to expand the number of community-led homes in our city. I’ll build more genuinely affordable homes on surplus public land, and maximise the number of these homes being built on land owned by the GLA. I’ll give my Housing and Land directorate first refusal on TfL land suitable for housing development above and beyond TfL’s current development programme, as part of a plan to transfer more TfL land to the GLA so we can prioritise the building of genuinely affordable homes while delivering a fair return to TfL. I'll commission an independent review to streamline housing development across the wider GLA Group. Where GLA land is developed, I will put in place a new expectation that we retain the freehold or an interest in the land, so that Londoners keep a long-term stake in the land that is developed on their behalf. To keep London at the cutting edge of new technology in building the homes our city needs I’ll continue to support safe modern methods of construction (MMC) such as modular housing, including looking at City Hall backing for a new MMC factory or logistics hub in our city. And because I’m determined to do everything in my power to tackle the shortfall in genuinely affordable homes in London, I’ll take action not seen for a generation in London and pilot a new City Hall developer to start directly building the low-cost homes Londoners need. Since becoming your Mayor, I have ripped up my Tory predecessor’s planning rules which failed to deliver the kind of new homes the city needs. My new London Plan, which Tory ministers tried to block at every turn, has a strategic target for 50% of all new homes to be genuinely affordable. Every development is > I’ll take action not seen for > a generation in London > and pilot a new City Hall > developer to start directly > building the low-cost homes > Londoners need. expected to include at least 35% genuinely affordable housing. My approach is working: the proportion of new homes that are affordable in schemes I’ve approved has risen to 37%. The Tories oppose this policy and will drop it if they get the chance, meaning fewer genuinely affordable homes being built. I’ll continue to stand up for London by fighting for the reforms and investment in housing we desperately need. I’ll campaign for the billions more we need from the Government every year to build more genuinely affordable homes, especially homes for social rent. I’ll push the Government to devolve new ‘use it or lose it’ powers so that developers don’t sit on their hands instead of building new homes that already have planning permission. I’ll work to ensure London leads the way in ending the leasehold scandal which leaves too many people feeling like they’ve bought a home but still don’t own it: I’ll expect new shared-ownership homes I fund through my new affordable homes programme to come with 999-year leases, work to end ground rents on GLA land, and I’ll pilot a commonhold scheme to show how this form of ownership can become the new national standard for new flats. I’ll also work with council and housing association landlords across London to reduce the charges leaseholders face. After the horrific Grenfell Tower fire, and the slow and often inadequate Government response, I’ll continue to lobby hard for the systemic changes needed so a tragedy like Grenfell can never happen again and for the transparency needed for people to feel safe in their homes. This includes fighting for sprinklers and other fire suppression systems in all blocks of flats, and a ban on combustible materials on all buildings — measures which I’ve introduced as requirements for my new affordable homes programme. I’ll fight for improved fire safety in care homes and for smoke alarms to be fitted in all schools. I’ll continue to press for the decisive action needed to ensure no leaseholder has to pay to fix fire-safety defects in their homes that they had no part in creating, including pressing for the swift introduction of a levy on major developers which could raise more than £3bn to help pay for the work. The former residents, local community and families of those who lost their lives in the terrible fire can count on me as Mayor to continue to support their fight for justice and accountability. I will act on all Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations that fall within my control, and do all I can to ensure others do the same. ## STANDING UP FOR RENTERS I will stand up for renters. More Londoners rent than own their homes, and the lack of security and high costs are affecting millions of people. The status quo is simply not acceptable, yet we have a government refusing to act. Despite having no formal powers in this area, I’ve still managed to make a difference, including introducing the first-ever city-wide rogue landlord checker, and a tool for tenants to check if their landlord has an appropriate licence, with a chance to reclaim rent if they don’t. And I’ve successfully campaigned to force Ministers to ban tenant fees, and commit to scrapping ‘no fault’ evictions. But to get to grips properly with the inequalities in the rental market which have been exacerbated by coronavirus, we need an overhaul of legal protections for renters and for London to have the powers to establish a system of private-sector rent control that works for our city, something I’ll continue to fight for as your Mayor. City Hall should also have the power to approve requests from local authorities who wish to drive up standards in the private rental sector by bringing in a landlord licensing scheme. While impacted by coronavirus, the long-term growth of short-term lets has also led to pressures on housing, particularly concentrated in some parts of the city. Current legislation isn’t fit for purpose, so I’ll lobby the Government for a proper registration scheme to help manage the growth of short-term lets. I’ll also continue to back Londoners who rent from a council or housing association. Since being elected, I’ve insisted social tenants must have a ballot before major estate regeneration plans get funding from City Hall, with residents receiving independent support during the process funded by the developer. I’ll review how this is working to make sure ways aren’t being deliberately found to avoid having a ballot. I know that the quality of service some tenants of social landlords receive is unacceptable so I’ll continue to demand higher standards. Given how many renters have fallen into arrears as a result of the pandemic, I will continue fighting for this group to receive special financial support and oppose the unnecessary use of debt collectors and bailiffs to collect arrears. ## TAKING ACTION ON ROUGH SLEEPING We must put an end to the scandal of people sleeping rough on our city’s streets, and I won’t rest for a minute until this is achieved. I’m so proud that my team at City Hall led the country in getting people off the streets during the first wave of coronavirus, helping hundreds of people move out of homelessness, and showing the national Government what needed to be done. Over the last five years, I’ve massively increased the amount of money going into helping people off the streets, with the result that programmes I’ve administered since becoming Mayor have helped nearly 11,000 rough sleepers. I’ve launched groundbreaking additional services such as a new ‘rapid response’ outreach team which has helped find accommodation for over 1,500 rough sleepers, and a winter programme and additional winter shelter places for the hardest months of the year. I’ve also helped coordinate support for rough sleepers across London, with a new pan-London trigger point to make emergency accommodation available when temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing on any one night. I’ll continue to work closely with local councils and charities to help those who need it, including young LGBTQ+ Londoners. To build on the huge efforts made by City Hall under my mayoralty, in my next term I’ll work to provide at least 1,000 new homes to allow rough sleepers to move on to more settled accommodation. I will lead efforts to substantially reduce numbers of rough sleepers discharged back to the streets from the NHS. But, the truth is, to end homelessness in our city we need a change of approach from the national Government, and I’ll continue to fight for this. Ministers must recognise that their policies have led to higher homelessness in London, and that only a change of policy will stop more people being forced onto the streets. I will be a constant thorn in the side of the Tory Government, pressing ministers to reverse their austerity and unpick their draconian benefit changes. And I’ll fight hard for the money London needs to help those who find themselves on the streets. ## TACKLING HEALTH INEQUALITIES The pandemic has also highlighted and exacerbated health inequalities. Despite the magnificent work of our doctors, nurses and other NHS staff, there remains a large gap between the healthiest and unhealthiest Londoners — a gap in which ethnicity and deprivation are also key determinants. I’m determined to do what I can to help improve the health of all Londoners and close the inequality gap, and to ensure this happens I will put improving health and tackling health inequalities at the heart of all areas of GLA policy. If re-elected, I’ll instigate a review of all policies and programmes to ensure we are doing all we can to reduce health inequalities across the work of the whole GLA. As your Mayor and Chair of the London Health Board, I’ll champion and challenge the NHS in London, and fight for the funding the health service needs. Major changes to NHS services in London will be judged against my six tests which have been developed after work with the world- respected King’s Fund and designed **As we recover from the health and social impacts of the pandemic, I will support Londoners to be healthier and more active.** to protect the quality of service offered to patients. I’ll only support those that pass my tests. As we recover from the health and social impacts of the pandemic, I will support Londoners to be healthier and more active. I’ll ask TfL to work closely with the NHS in London to encourage more people to build healthier travel options into their daily lives, to help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. And I’ll pilot a ‘well-being station’ on the TfL network — providing local public-health information, details on local walking and cycling routes, and selling ready-to-eat fruit for those passing through. As the experiences of so many of us during the pandemic have demonstrated, our mental health is indivisible from overall health, and we must continue to talk openly and frankly about it. The impact of repeated lockdowns, which for so many have meant isolation from loved ones, friends and family, has been severe. London’s Thrive initiative is now a world-leading programme, and I’m committed to taking this to the next level. As part of this, I want it to be easier to access NHS mental health services, and I’ll work with London’s NHS to put in place a simple and single point of access for self-referrals for mental health support and counselling. I also recognise that there is a higher prevalence of mental health issues in Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and amongst LGBTQ+ Londoners and I’m determined to do what I can to help improve the mental health of all Londoners. City Hall will support the #zerosuicideLondon campaign. While we’ve made enormous progress in ensuring London is a Dementia Friendly City, I’ll push further so that London is an age- friendly city whatever your circumstances. I’ll work with the city’s cultural institutions on a dementia-friendly venue charter. By working with close partners since 2016, London is in touching distance of ending the spread of new HIV infections. As Mayor I’m determined to use my power to push us over the line. PrEP will make a huge difference, and I will fight for it to continue to be available free on the NHS to everyone who wants it. I back the HIV Commission’s 2020 report, and working with partners will ensure London takes the necessary steps towards being the first global city to end new HIV transmissions by 2030, with an 80% reduction by 2025. But I also want to bring a new focus on Hepatitis C — another infectious disease we can stop from spreading. So, I commit to work with the NHS with a target of ending all new Hepatitis C infections in London by 2025. Bad air quality disproportionately affects the poorest Londoners. As someone who developed asthma as an adult, I know first-hand just what effect poor air can have on health. Already, we’ve made huge progress with the ULEZ and cleaning up buses and taxis. That’s why I have an ambitious plan to do more to tackle filthy air. The chances of surviving a heart attack increase because of access to defibrillators. Using the planning system, City Hall’s regeneration programmes and the TfL estate, I’ll work with charities and the NHS to make sure we maximise the numbers in place across the city. I’ve already banned body-shaming advertisements and advertisements for foods high in fat, salt and sugar on the TfL network because of their impact on the health of Londoners. Given the devastating way gambling addiction can destroy lives and families, I’ll instruct TfL to bring forward plans to extend the ban to harmful gambling advertisements on the network. ## STARTING A DEBATE ABOUT DRUGS One big factor in the health of some Londoners is drugs. But I also realise that this goes further than being just about health — their worst effects ravage communities, and the supply chain drives organised crime and serious violence. I recognise that there’s a growing demand for a debate on our drug laws. Scarce police resources are spread thinly dealing with all illegal drugs and might be better focused on the drugs causing the most harm. Systems in place to help rehabilitate those addicted to drugs are not fit for purpose. There is no sign the Government is prepared even to have a debate. This is, I believe, a mistake. In the absence of any action at the national level, I will establish a London Drugs Commission comprising independent experts and leading figures from the fields of criminal justice, public health, politics, community relations and academia. The Commission will pull together the latest evidence on the effectiveness of our drugs laws, but with particular focus on cannabis. Looking at the evidence in the round, and from across the globe, the Commission will come forward with policy recommendations. In the absence of any powers as Mayor to change the law, I hope that the work of the Commission will provoke an overdue national debate. 9900 SSAADDIIQQ FFOORR LLOONNDDOONN 22002201 ## LONDON'S LOCAL COMMUNITIES London is a global city, but it is also a local one — a community of communities, a city of villages. From Barking to Bromley, Mill Hill to Mitcham, Willesden Green to Woolwich, these are the places where we live, work, play and study, spend time with our families, enjoy old friendships and develop new ones. Our local communities have become even more important since the pandemic hit. Many of us have found times hard, and have relied on support from local community and faith groups and youth services. And our worlds have shrunk — leaving home only for essential shopping, work and exercise, Londoners have developed a new appreciation for the places right outside their front doors. >> While we’ve needed these communities more than ever, the sad truth is that even before the pandemic, years of Tory cuts had left many high streets in trouble, and community and youth services on the edge. And the pandemic and lockdown measures have tested the fabric of London's communities and neighbourhoods like never before. But, as ever, Londoners have shown huge support for each other, through volunteering, helping our neighbours, pledging money for charities or supporting local businesses. I’ve been proud to help get Londoners behind their communities and provide advice and resources through #LondonTogether, and to give direct financial support through initiatives like the London Community Response fund (LCRf). Through the struggle of the last year, London is emerging as a city bursting with renewed love and appreciation for the local shops, high streets, markets and community groups run by our friends and neighbours. We need to harness this energy and pride as the city recovers. As we rebuild, I want every part of London to rediscover the unique spirit of its place and people, celebrating old traditions and developing new ones. ## **BUILDING STRONG** COMMUNITIES Charity, voluntary, faith and community groups are the heart and soul of communities across London. We’ve seen this more clearly than ever during the pandemic, with people coming together to ensure food, medicine, support and vital services have reached those in need. These groups are an essential part of community life, but even before the pandemic they were under pressure. A decade of Tory cuts had left many without funding, capacity or a physical base from which to do their work. While the pandemic has shone a light on the amazing work these community groups do day in, day out, it has also exposed vulnerabilities and brought new pressures. The LCRf has been a lifeline for many community groups and for thousands of Londoners over recent months. Through the fund, I’ve been able to provide over £11 million to support the most vulnerable, with half of the grants going to groups supporting Londoners from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, who we know have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis. I’ve also helped community groups to adapt to change through my ## A FAIRER, HEALTHIER, MORE EQUAL LONDON £1 million London Resilience Fund, and I’ve worked with Locality to create a £750,000 fund to protect community-led spaces that have been supporting those worst affected by the pandemic. As the city recovers from the pandemic, I will work with partners on the London Recovery Board to support Londoners having access to a community hub — a physical building to visit, a local organisation to turn to, or another means of accessing the support, knowledge and resources they need to participate in their local community. Beginning by mapping out what needs to happen where to support communities across London, I will look to build on the success of the Civil Society Roots Incubator and other Covid-19 response funds to develop a new Community Microgrants programme, funding activities that help Londoners influence their local communities, particularly those Londoners such as the disabled who experience structural inequalities that can leave them frozen out of local decision making. I will ensure this work allows the vast array of London’s voices to be heard. I know how decent venues for community groups and charities are always at a premium. So I’ll develop a new framework for the temporary, meanwhile and flexible use of open space, empty premises, temporary development space and underused community buildings, supporting local authorities and other land and building owners to help their communities. I’ll continue to recognise the vital importance of culture to local communities, supporting and encouraging local celebrations of cultural and community events and celebrations. My innovative Creative Enterprise Zones have brought focus, jobs and investment to places across London, and I will look to build on this in other parts of the city. All along the way I am determined to hear from Londoners directly, so I will use the groundbreaking Survey of Londoners and Talk London to understand the issues affecting our communities and bring new voices into City Hall. I will work to find the best routes to reach as many Londoners as possible, drawing on the expertise of community and representative groups — particularly London's deaf and disabled people's organisations and groups representing older Londoners. One thing we’ve learnt through the pandemic is that small, local businesses are at the heart of our communities, and it’s important for London’s successful recovery that more of the prosperity created locally is captured within the local community. To drive this forward, I’ll provide support for democratic business models like cooperatives, mutuals, social enterprises, employee-owned, municipally-owned and community-owned businesses, and convene anchor institutions, including councils and other public authorities, to develop and share approaches that will help local communities to thrive, now and in the future. ## HIGH STREETS AND TOWN CENTRES Strong local communities need at their heart a thriving town centre providing a place to meet, socialise, exchange ideas, shop and do business. I grew up and live in Tooting, and know how diverse and vibrant it is — before the pandemic, it was drawing people from across London to enjoy its shops, cafes and restaurants. This story of people’s pride in and loyalty for their local high streets is played out across London, helping to make our city the best in the world. We have a duty to help support our high streets, now more than ever — the pandemic has increased our appreciation of our high street businesses, but they are under increasing pressure. Even before the lockdowns, pressures from rising rents and business rates and changing retail habits posed an existential threat. So I’m determined to lead work to protect, adapt and enhance these amazing places, and to help those that have lost some of their spirit to find a new lease of life. Our high streets have time and again demonstrated themselves to be flexible, adaptable and robust — places of innovation and experimentation. Given the right support, London’s high streets will reinvent themselves as we rebuild. The London Recovery Board is focusing on high streets, and I’ll throw the resources of the GLA behind their work. I’ll ensure that activity in teams across City Hall is coordinated to develop approaches that can help high streets adapt and thrive. I’ll look to streamline existing funding and grants, identify new areas of support and lobby the Government for fairer regimes for business rates and corporate taxation. Given how London’s markets are cultural hubs and incubators of small businesses, I’ll continue to support them through the London Markets Board. Building on the success of my Crowdfund London and Culture Seeds grants, I will use my new Make London programme to support creative, locally led proposals that bring people together, improve public spaces and support community hubs and high streets. I’ll produce guidance on social infrastructure, helping local authorities to realise the potential it has to support social integration and community resilience. And I’ll continue to focus on the importance of culture to local places, with my hugely successful London Borough of Culture programme bringing culture closer to Londoners and helping to celebrate and transform Lewisham in 2022 and Croydon in 2023. ## PLANNING LOCAL PLACES London is a growing city, with high demand for land for new housing and development. With those growing pains comes pressure on local communities. I’m delivering on my vision for the capital in my new London Plan, which will help better balance change with the existing character of local areas. The challenges of the last year have shown us the importance of vibrant, accessible and inclusive public spaces, affordable and spacious new homes and easy and accessible active travel. My Plan will deliver the safer, healthier, greener, fairer London I promised in 2016 and goes further in meeting the challenges of climate change, clean air, better connectivity and places we are proud to live, work and socialise in. Poorly planned and built development threatens London’s unique mix of different communities and cultures. To ensure development does not displace local people, communities have to have a proper say. That’s why I commit to review how to further involve local communities in the planning decisions that affect them, including by making the most of interactive technology. It’s why I will continue to oppose the Government's damaging planning reforms, which threaten to remove local decision making from Londoners and hoard them in an out- of-touch Whitehall. I will ensure that any regeneration projects funded by City Hall must contribute to a more socially- integrated London, and I’ll continue the work of my City Hall Culture at Risk team to ensure that valuable community cultural and night-time assets aren’t lost to development, planning changes or the impacts of the pandemic. Many people have concerns that spaces in London appear to be public but are in fact privately owned. Through my new Public London Charter, I’ve produced guidance on maximising access for all Londoners, so public spaces can truly be public. High quality design standards will continue to be at the heart of planning and development, with the work of my Mayor’s Design Advocates remaining crucial. I’ll support tall buildings where they are safe, appropriately located and designed to a high quality with tough safety and environmental standards, but I won’t shy away from opposing those that don’t enhance London’s skyline, or which provide little social or economic benefit. I will work with the Government, landowners and the local community to maximise the opportunity being created by the new High Speed 2 station at Old Oak Common. I know how important it is for local places not only to be engaging, creative and thriving, but also to be inclusive for everyone. I am committed to continuing my push from City Hall to make London one of the most accessible capital cities in the world for disabled people. I will work with disabled Londoners in a new Access Initiative that addresses obstacles to access in our public places, local high streets and beyond, learning from best practice from cities across the world. Later this year, City Hall will move to East London. Not only will the move to The Crystal building save £61 million over the next five years, I want it to be a great example of planning and regeneration in action, turbo- charging the regeneration of the Royal Docks, which is set to lead to 25,000 new homes and the creation of 60,000 new jobs within the next 20 years, supported by the arrival of the Elizabeth line. ## GETTING AROUND YOUR LOCAL AREA The pandemic has shown the urgency of some of the big challenges London faces — cleaning up our air, tackling the climate emergency, addressing the inactivity crisis. But it has also shown that where we act decisively to tackle those challenges, we can make quicker progress than ever. At the heart of our action must be a concern for equality and inclusion of all Londoners. Rather than going back to business as usual, I am determined to build on the work done during lockdown. The concept of the 15-minute city has gained traction and many Londoners have enjoyed spending much more time in their local neighbourhood. To build on this, I will ensure that town centres are made more liveable and put people, rather than cars, first. It’s been heartening to see the surge in cycling, and I cannot remember a time when I have been on a bike as much as I have this last year. Last year, TfL and the London boroughs rapidly rolled out measures to make our streets safer for walking, cycling, and social distancing, such as low-traffic neighbourhoods. Most of these schemes are temporary and implemented under emergency Government guidance. I will work with London boroughs to ensure communities and stakeholder groups are properly consulted on these schemes, refining them where necessary, and making them permanent where they are successful. I will also ensure that bus routes are properly planned into local communities. Building on the introduction of the 24/7 bus lanes trial last year, I will undertake a programme of bus priority schemes, improving reliability of the bus network across the city. I will also continue work to reduce traffic through better coordination of roadworks and via the work of the Infrastructure Coordination Group. The pandemic has shown more than ever just how essential some journeys are, and we must do everything we can to help people travel to medical appointments smoothly. I will therefore ask TfL to trial allowing NHS patient transport vehicles and non-blue-light ambulances into bus lanes in central London. If adopted, this could reduce the number of missed appointments and delays in the NHS. I recognise that outer London has unique challenges when it comes to transport, so I will work with TfL on a strategy for the suburbs, designed to increase connectivity in outer London through improved bus networks but also considering the role of rapid bus transit and trams. I will also ask TfL to consider an Outer London Town Centres Fund to improve public transport and walking and cycling options in boroughs on London’s outskirts. My Walking and Cycling Commissioner has led a step change in making our roads cleaner, greener, and healthier by pushing forward with my Healthy Streets agenda. I have gone far beyond my promise of tripling the amount of segregated cycle lanes in the last five years, which has contributed to the highest growth in cycling in London on record. I will continue the rapid expansion of London’s cycle network — connecting communities and town centres with protected cycleways on main roads and low-traffic routes on local streets — so it reaches a third of Londoners by 2025. I will improve on-street signage and digital mapping and wayfinding to make it easy for people to choose this greener transport option. London’s Santander Cycle Hire Scheme has had its most successful year ever. I will invest to modernise and expand the scheme so it can be accessed by more Londoners, as well as introducing e-bikes. I will also ask TfL to look at ways in which the scheme can support frontline workers on an ongoing basis beyond the pandemic, in recognition of their heroic efforts over the last year. My successful walking and cycling community grants will continue, and bike training for adults and children will be increased to keep up with demand — including the popular online cycle skills training. With the record growth in cycling, London also needs more cycle parking. I will continue to deliver my cycle parking plan, providing 5,000 new residential cycle hangars, parking hubs at stations, including in partnership with Network Rail, and more parking on our high streets. I recognise that outer London has unique challenges when it comes to transport, so I will work with TfL on a strategy for the suburbs. Walking with a friend or taking the kids out for some fresh air has sustained so many Londoners during the pandemic. We have learned the value of our wonderful parks and green spaces, and I want to develop a new plan for connecting these areas with local communities, making sure these green routes are accessible for everyone. This will include improving existing walking routes, such as the London Loop and Capital Ring. City Hall will also back exciting new schemes like the Camden High Line and the Peckham Coal Line. I will continue to support the innovative use of timed changes to streets across the capital through ‘School Streets’, ‘Summer Streeteries’ and ‘Lunchtime Streets’ – supporting the return of the hospitality sector. Play Streets in residential areas will be important in helping tackle isolation, improving mental health in our communities. I will explore options for future car-free days in central London. Sadly, too many people are killed and seriously injured on London’s roads. My bold Vision Zero Plan aims to end this tragic loss of life. I will accelerate the roll out of 20mph speed limits on the TfL road network and improve the safety of the most dangerous junctions, including a programme of new pedestrian crossings at those junctions currently lacking them. This builds on my introduction of tighter standards for lorry safety and a reduction in collisions and injuries involving London buses. I will also increase support for victims of road danger, as well as continuing joint work with the MPS to increase enforcement. Black cabs and private hire vehicles continue to play an important role in London’s transport offer, and I know how difficult the last 12 months have been for the sector. I will work with them while expecting the highest safety and environmental standards. I will continue to seek a law change that would allow me to regulate the number of private hire vehicles that operate in London. London is rolling out the UK’s largest trial of e-scooters, so we can see how this new form of transport can best fit into our existing network. The trial will carefully assess safety and environmental impacts and ensure this new mode of travel is inclusive of everyone’s needs. ■ SADIQ FOR LONDON 2021 14415_21 Reproduced from electronic media, promoted by Amy Fode on behalf of London Labour Party both at 2nd floor, Southside, Victoria Street, SW1E 6QT.