Sadiq Khan vows to make London a ‘byword for opportunity’ in third term as mayor

Mr Khan will set out his four-year plan to improve the lives of those in London, with a special focus on youth.

Labour’s Sadiq Khan is re-elected as the Mayor of London at City Hall (Jeff Moore/PA) (PA Wire)

London mayor Sadiq Khan will kick off his third term on Tuesday and will pledge to use the next four years to make London the “best city in the world to grow up in”.

The Labour incumbent won a historic third term of office on Saturday, becoming the first London mayor to do so, with a majority of some 275,000 over Conservative rival Susan Hall.

In a speech on Tuesday, Mr Khan will outline his commitment to improving the lives of young Londoners.

He will say his work is about “giving the next generation a chance” and ensuring Londoners can reach their potential from birth to buying a house and getting a job.

In an advanced copy of his speech, seen by PA news agency, he will say: “Over the next four years, City Hall will provide that vital helping hand young Londoners need to move forwards and achieve their aspirations.

“We will do our utmost to ensure London becomes a byword for opportunity again. A place where the barriers of class, race and gender are finally broken down forever. And where ladders of advancement are extended upwards for all.

“I’m pledging to help make London the best city in the world to grow up in, working directly with young people to help develop new and innovative policies to support them from birth to feeling safe, securing a job and finding an affordable home.”

To achieve that goal, Mr Khan plans to provide free skills training for unemployed or low-income Londoners and create more than 150,000 new jobs by 2028.

In his speech, Mr Khan said that he will “never compromise” on the idea that everyone should be given a fair shot at fulfilling their potential.

“So we’ll harness the energy, imagination and insights of young Londoners to design positive programmes that work for them.

“I will build on all the promises in my manifesto – including more funding for youth clubs, better mental health support and investment in high-quality mentoring – to ensure we’re truly giving our young people the best start in life.”

He has also vowed to make the nation’s capital a fairer, safer and greener city for all.

Mr Khan said he wants to make free school meals permanent in London’s state primary schools and to fund more youth clubs with a £30 million investment.

Regarding transport, the mayor will pledge to keep Transport for London fares frozen until at least 2025 and never introduce a pay-per-mile road charging scheme in London.

He vows to end rough sleeping by 2030 with government support, to build 40,000 new council homes by 2030 and to build new “rent control” homes.

On policing, he plans to put 1,300 more police on the streets, provide record investment to tackle violence against women and girls and deliver free legal support for victims.

Mr Khan has previously taken a firm stance on making London a greener place to live, a goal set to continue throughout the next four years.

He will promise to continue world-leading climate action with a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2030.

He has also pledged to clean up the Thames, planning to make it swimmable within 10 years.