We call on the community to vote for Sadiq Khan Labour’s candidate for London Mayor as well as the Labour candidates for London Assembly.
London is at a crossroads. Today, people will vote in a vital election for Londoners. The choice is stark. London is being hollowed out because eight years of a part-time Tory Mayor have left us with the worst housing crisis in generations. Our children and grandchildren can’t afford to stay and are having to move elsewhere. If we don’t act, London will be unrecognisable from the city we know and love. Parikiaki readers can vote for another four years of inaction, or they can vote for me, and my plan to ensure we build more homes, with more of them genuinely affordable, and first dibs for Londoners.
We also have a Tory candidate who wants to campaign to leave the European Union which would be devastating for jobs and growth in London. EU citizens do not have a vote in the referendum but they can vote today (5 May) for the Mayor. Vote for the candidate who will fight to defend your interests. Neighbourhood policing has been devastated by this government and this Mayor. We have lost 1,500 police officers, and more than 60 per cent of our PCSOs. This means far fewer bobbies on the beat, fewer crimes being solved and a weakened relationship between communities and the police. This cannot be right. A vote for me is a vote to put neighbourhood policing back at the heart of the Met’s priorities so people feel safe going about their daily business.
Health is another vital service that has been neglected under this Mayor and this government. Waiting times are going up, it’s getting harder to see your GP, pharmacies are closing, all of which puts even more pressure on A&Es. The government’s answer seems to be closing down A&Es. I’ll be the mayor that stands up for London’s NHS and defends it from further cuts. I’ll also campaign for more power over the NHS, co-ordinating services so that social care, councils, public health and primary care work together. This will relieve pressure on hospitals and GPs so that you can get an appointment when you need it, and so that the NHS doesn’t reach breaking point every single winter. As Mayor I will represent all Londoners – unlike my Tory opponent, who has run a truly desperate and divisive campaign. He has tried to divide Londoners based on their race, faith or background. He has played the politics of Donald Trump, turning particular communities into scapegoats for political benefit. What is more my Tory opponent is a serial underachiever with no idea what life means for ordinary Londoners, and no coherent plan for our city. I urge readers in London to vote for the candidate who shares their inclusive values, and who has the positive vision and the work ethic to ensure all Londoners have the chance to succeed in our city.
London Assembly candidates
The London Assembly candidates for Labour are as follows:
Andrew Dismore (Barnet & Camden), San Russels (Bexley & Bromley), Navin Shah (Brent & Harrow), Unmesh Sesai (City & East), Marina Ahmad (Croydon & Sutton), Onkar Sahota (Ealing & Hillingdon), Joanne McCartney (Enfield & Haringey), Len Duvall (Greenwich & Lewisham), Ivana Bartoletti (Havering & Redbridge), Florence Nosegbe (Lambeth & Southwark), Leonie Cooper (Merton & Wandsworth), Jannette Arnold (North East), Martin Whelton (South West) and Mandy Richards (West Central).
Make sure you know how to have your say
The Electoral Commission is giving the following advice to voters:
- Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm. Any voter who arrives at the polling station before 10pm and is still waiting to vote at 10pm will be able to. • Check your poll card to find the location of your polling station. Voters can only cast their vote at the polling station stated on the poll card. • You don’t need your polling card to vote, but it can speed up the process. • If you have got a postal vote but have not had a chance to return it by polling day, you can hand it in at your polling station. • You can ask staff at the polling station if you need advice on the voting process and how to mark your ballot paper. • Remember! Pictures taken outside the polling station are great to use on social media and encourage your friends and family to vote, but don’t take any photos inside the polling station as you might find yourself in breach of secrecy of the ballot requirements.