Mayor of London facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of London
Incumbent Sadiq Khan since 9 May 2016
Greater London Authority
Style	No courtesy or style ascribed
Member of	Greater London Authority Council of the Nations and Regions
Reports to	London Assembly
Seat	City Hall, London
Appointer	Electorate of London
Term length	Four years, renewable
Constituting instrument	Greater London Authority Act 1999, s 2(1)(a)
Inaugural holder	Ken Livingstone
Deputy	Statutory Deputy Mayor of London
Salary	£152,734

The Mayor of London is like the main leader or boss for the whole of Greater London. This important job was created in the year 2000. It happened after people in London voted in 1998 to have their own elected leader. This made the Mayor of London the very first directly elected mayor in the United Kingdom.

The current Mayor is Sadiq Khan. He started his role on May 9, 2016. Before him, Ken Livingstone was the Mayor from 2000 to 2008. Then, Boris Johnson served two terms before Sadiq Khan took over.

The Mayor works closely with the London Assembly. The Assembly checks on what the Mayor is doing. The Mayor, with help from their team, leads all of London. This includes the City of London, which also has its own special mayor called the Lord Mayor of London. Many areas within London, called London boroughs, also have their own local mayors.

How the Mayor of London Role Started

London used to have a government body called the Greater London Council. This group was in charge of running Greater London. But it was stopped in 1986. After that, different groups handled London's big plans.

In 1998, people in London voted again. They decided they wanted a new way to govern their city. So, the job of a directly elected Mayor of London was created in 2000. This was part of big changes to how London is run.

How the Mayor is Elected

The Mayor of London is chosen by people voting every four years in May. There is no limit to how many times a person can be elected Mayor. The Mayor is elected by the largest number of voters for a single job in the UK.

To become a candidate, a person must pay a deposit of £10,000. This money is given back if the candidate gets at least 5% of the votes.

The Latest Election for Mayor

The most recent election for Mayor of London was on May 2, 2024. The results were announced on May 4, 2024. Sadiq Khan was re-elected as Mayor. He became the first Mayor to be elected for three terms. He won against the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall.

List of Mayors of London

#	Portrait		Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office		Elected	Political Party	Other Important Roles	Education
1			Ken Livingstone (born 1945)	4 May 2000	4 May 2008	2000 2004	Independent Labour	Leader of the Greater London Council (1981–1986) Member of Parliament for Brent East (1987–2001)	Tulse Hill Comprehensive School Philippa Fawcett Teacher Training College
				8 years, 0 days
2			Boris Johnson (born 1964)	4 May 2008	9 May 2016	2008 2012	Conservative	Member of Parliament for Henley (2001–2008) Prime Minister (2019–2022)	Eton College University of Oxford
				8 years, 5 days
3			Sadiq Khan (born 1970)	9 May 2016	Incumbent	2016 2021 2024	Labour	Member of Parliament for Tooting (2005–2016)	Ernest Bevin School University of North London University of Law
				9 years, 43 days

Timeline of Mayors

Timeline

What the Mayor Does for London

The Mayor's main jobs and powers come from laws like the Greater London Authority Act 1999. These laws give the Mayor the authority to make important decisions for London.

The Mayor's key responsibilities include:

• Planning for London: This involves creating big plans for things like housing, managing waste, and protecting the environment. The main plan is called the London Plan.
• Approving Big Buildings: The Mayor can say yes or no to large building projects.
• Transport: The Mayor is in charge of London's transport system. This includes buses, trains, and the Underground. This work is done by Transport for London.
• Fire and Emergencies: The Mayor oversees the fire brigade and emergency planning.
• Policing and Crime: The Mayor sets policies for policing and crime in London. The Metropolitan Police works under the Mayor's guidance.
• Economic Growth: The Mayor helps London's economy grow and creates jobs.
• Special Projects: The Mayor can set up special groups for big development projects. An example is the London Legacy Development Corporation. This group helped with the area used for the 2012 Olympics.

Local councils in London, called London borough councils, handle other local government tasks. Sometimes, the Mayor and the local councils work together. For example, local councils manage waste, but the Mayor creates a city-wide plan for waste. The Mayor is also part of important councils that discuss issues across England and the UK.

Key Projects and Changes by Mayors

Each Mayor has introduced new ideas and projects to improve London.

Ken Livingstone's Initiatives

Ken Livingstone introduced several big changes during his time as Mayor:

• Congestion Charge: He started a charge for cars driving into central London on weekdays. This helped reduce traffic and pollution.
• Climate Action: He helped create groups focused on fighting climate change. One was the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
• More Buses: The congestion charge helped fund many new buses for London.
• Oyster Card: In 2003, he brought in the Oyster card. This electronic card made it easier to pay for travel on London's transport.
• Supporting Same-Sex Partnerships: He created the London Partnerships Register. This allowed same-sex couples to officially register their relationships. This helped lead to later laws for civil partnerships.
• London Olympics 2012: Livingstone strongly supported London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. He believed it would help develop East London.
• Tour de France: He brought the 2007 Tour de France cycle race to London in 2007.

Boris Johnson's Initiatives

When Boris Johnson became Mayor, he also brought in new projects:

• Transport Safety: He added more police officers around bus stations to improve safety.
• Alcohol Ban: He banned alcohol on the Underground and other public transport.
• Saving Money: He closed The Londoner newspaper, which saved money. Some of these savings were used to plant new street trees.
• Oyster Card Expansion: In 2010, he expanded the Oyster card system. It could then be used on all National Rail overground train services.
• Cycle Hire Scheme: He launched a bike hire scheme in London. These bikes are often called "Boris Bikes" after him.
• New Buses: He removed the "bendy buses" and supported the creation of the New Routemaster buses.
• High Street Fund: He set up the Outer London Fund to help improve local shopping streets.
• Cycling Safety: He invested £1 billion to make cycling safer in London. This included creating special cycle paths.

Sadiq Khan's Initiatives

Sadiq Khan has also introduced important changes since becoming Mayor:

• Bus Hopper Fare: He introduced a "bus hopper" fare. This allows passengers to take a second bus within one hour for the same price.
• Contactless Payments: Under his leadership, the Oyster card system expanded. Now, people can use debit and credit cards to pay for travel.
• Green City Vision: Khan aims to make London a "greenest city." He has invested in walking and cycling infrastructure.
• Ultra Low Emission Zone: In 2019, he launched the "Ultra Low Emission Zone" (ULEZ). This taxes vehicles that cause a lot of pollution in certain areas.
• National Park City: London was declared the world's first "National Park City" in 2019. This shows how much green space London has.

Extended Term as Mayor

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the election for Mayor in May 2020 was postponed. This meant Sadiq Khan served for five years instead of four. He was re-elected in 2021 for a shorter three-year term.

See also

In Spanish: Alcalde de Londres para niños

• Foreign relations of the Mayor of London
• Leaders of the Greater London Council
• Timeline of London § 21st century