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May 2016 | UK Elections Portal

The Mayor of London

Mayoral Candidates for 2016

  • Zac Goldsmith MP – Conservative Party
  • Sadiq Khan MP – Labour Party

Read The Battle for London: Goldsmith vs Khan by Lucy Mannion

  • Sian Berry – Green Party
  • Caroline Pidgeon – Liberal Democrats
  • Peter Whittle – UKIP
  • George Galloway – Respect Party
  • David Furness – British National Party
  • Sophie Walker – Women’s Equality Party
  • Paul Golding – Britain First
  • Lee Harris – Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol
  • Ankit Love – One Love Party
  • John Zynlinski – Independent

The Role of the Mayor of London

The Mayor of London sets the budget and is responsible for making London a better place for everyone who visits, lives or works in the city. The Mayor is elected every four years. You can also find out about the London Assembly here.

The Mayor from 2008 to May 2016 was Boris Johnson. He was first elected in 2008 and re-elected on 3rd May 2012.

Work includes:

  • making it easier for people to move in and around the city
  • improving London’s environment
  • helping the capital’s businesses to thrive,
  • providing Londoners with more affordable housing
  • giving young people in London more opportunities

Setting the vision for London

The Mayor sets an overall vision for London. He has a duty to create plans and policies for the capital covering:

Arts & Culture

Business & Economy

Environment

Fire

Health

Housing and Land

Planning

Policing & Crime

Regeneration

Sport

Transport

Young People

Other priorities for the Mayor include higher education, foreign Investment and attracting events and conferences to London.

Setting budgets

The Mayor’s £17bn annual budget supports investment in public transport, fire services and policing as well as the work of City Hall. It is financed from a mixture of central government grants, transport fares and other charges, business rates and council tax.

Working in partnership to improve the capital

In line with his commitment to do all he can to improve London, the Mayor invests in and works with many different people and organisations to achieve this aim.

Championing London and Londoners

The Mayor is also the elected voice of the capital and champions London and Londoners at home and abroad.

The First Mayor of London

Find out about the first Mayor of London Ken Livingstone here.