Two outside bets in the London Mayoral Election

With the 2021 London Mayoral Election just around the corner, it’s looking likely that Labour candidate and incumbent Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will still be the man in the hotseat come May 6th. However, until the ballot papers come in, the other candidates will be hopeful that they can upset the London mayor candidates 2021 odds and take the role for themselves.

There is a wide variety of contenders for the position, including representatives from the major political parties, and independent candidates. While Khan is in a strong position, let’s take a look at a couple of the outside bets to win the mayoral election, analyse their manifestos, and decide whether or not they have any chance of becoming Mayor of London.

Sian Berry

Representing the Green Party, Sian Berry is taking a third stab at becoming Mayor of London, having lost the election in 2008 and 2016. One of her aims is to merge London’s transport zones in the name of ultimately having a single-zone city. This would create more reasonable fares for those commuting in and out of the city, encouraging more people to use public transport.

Unsurprisingly, environmental issues are also top of Berry’s agenda. She is hoping to make London a zero-waste city, bringing an end to environmentally damaging waste solutions such as landfill and incineration. Developing green spaces and planting more woodland across the city’s boroughs would also be on Berry’s to-do list.

In addition, Berry is planning to make London the most LGBT-friendly city in the world, increase the London Living Wage, and taking aim at London City Airport – a major source of noise pollution and air pollution in the east end.

Luisa Porritt

The Liberal Democrat candidate is Luisa Porritt, who took over the mantle from initial contender Siobhan Benita, after the latter decided not to pursue election following the delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Porritt’s aims include diversifying London’s high streets, and converting unused office buildings and warehouses into affordable homes, thus tackling the housing crisis facing the city.

Porritt wants to greatly increase the use of bicycles in the city, creating more bike rental zones and making them free on Sundays. She also plans to develop London’s congestion charge pricing and structure, while directing the funds raised to the city’s public transport network. The idea of building ten new parks in the city represents Porritt’s commitment to promoting green spaces in London.

In terms of crime, a major issue facing the capital, Porritt plans to hire more police officers, creating a higher police presence across all London wards. She is also suggesting that police take a more lenient stance on cannabis usage, directing their efforts instead towards tackling issues such as knife crime.

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It’s a tough task facing both Berry and Porritt to get the better of Khan come May 6th. Both candidates are listed at a price of around 100/1, so it’s fair to say it would be quite the surprise should one of them end up as Mayor of London. You would feel that the primary reason for their campaigns is to create awareness of the issues they are passionate about. If either were to upset the odds and win the mayoral election, it would be quite the added bonus!