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| Sadiq Khan promises to plant 2m trees in London if elected mayor | |
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| The pedestrianisation of the UK’s busiest shopping street and the planting of 2 million trees planted across London are among the promises made by Labour’s newly chosen candidate to become the capital’s mayor. | The pedestrianisation of the UK’s busiest shopping street and the planting of 2 million trees planted across London are among the promises made by Labour’s newly chosen candidate to become the capital’s mayor. |
| Sadiq Khan, in a Guardian interview, outlined a raft of green initiatives that he said would put radical environment improvements “front and centre” of his campaign to replace Boris Johnson. | Sadiq Khan, in a Guardian interview, outlined a raft of green initiatives that he said would put radical environment improvements “front and centre” of his campaign to replace Boris Johnson. |
| Ten thousand people died in London last year as a result of air pollution. | Ten thousand people died in London last year as a result of air pollution. |
| “We can’t afford this issue being on the back burner any longer,” said Khan. “Nearly 10,000 Londoners died as a direct result of air pollution last year and it is now the most polluted city in Europe. There is a growing crisis and we need radical action to tackle it now.” | “We can’t afford this issue being on the back burner any longer,” said Khan. “Nearly 10,000 Londoners died as a direct result of air pollution last year and it is now the most polluted city in Europe. There is a growing crisis and we need radical action to tackle it now.” |
| As well as pedestrianising Oxford Street and planting 2 million trees in his first term Khan said he would also: | As well as pedestrianising Oxford Street and planting 2 million trees in his first term Khan said he would also: |
| “We have got to change the way London works and the key thing is to plan properly. Think about where people live, where people play and where people work,” he said. | “We have got to change the way London works and the key thing is to plan properly. Think about where people live, where people play and where people work,” he said. |
| Khan came from behind in the race to be Labour’s mayoral candidate earlier this month, ending the five-month campaign with a decisive win over the early favourite, Tessa Jowell. | Khan came from behind in the race to be Labour’s mayoral candidate earlier this month, ending the five-month campaign with a decisive win over the early favourite, Tessa Jowell. |
| He was helped by the surge in Labour support sparked by Jeremy Corbyn’s successful run for party leader. In London that saw the number of those eligible to vote in the mayoral race almost triple from around 40,000 in May to 114,000 in September. Most of those new members and supporters are thought to have voted for Khan rather than Jowell, a Blairite. | He was helped by the surge in Labour support sparked by Jeremy Corbyn’s successful run for party leader. In London that saw the number of those eligible to vote in the mayoral race almost triple from around 40,000 in May to 114,000 in September. Most of those new members and supporters are thought to have voted for Khan rather than Jowell, a Blairite. |
| But speaking from his fifth-floor office in Westminster just hours after Corbyn’s first appearance at prime minister’s questions, Khanwas keen to put some distance between himself and the fortunes of the new Labour leader. | But speaking from his fifth-floor office in Westminster just hours after Corbyn’s first appearance at prime minister’s questions, Khanwas keen to put some distance between himself and the fortunes of the new Labour leader. |
| “Whoever was the Labour leader, whether it was Jeremy or one of the other candidates,” he said, “there will be times when I will agree with official Labour party policy and the leadership, but there will be times when there will be tension and I have got to be an advocate for London.” | “Whoever was the Labour leader, whether it was Jeremy or one of the other candidates,” he said, “there will be times when I will agree with official Labour party policy and the leadership, but there will be times when there will be tension and I have got to be an advocate for London.” |
| Khan, who voted for Andy Burnham in the Labour leadership race, is treading a difficult line. | Khan, who voted for Andy Burnham in the Labour leadership race, is treading a difficult line. |
| The new members Corbyn attracted to the party helped him win the candidacy and he does not want to turn his back on them – or Corbyn – who he describes as “a straight geezer”. | The new members Corbyn attracted to the party helped him win the candidacy and he does not want to turn his back on them – or Corbyn – who he describes as “a straight geezer”. |
| “The thing about Jeremy that many people do not understand is you see what you get and you get what you see,” he said. “There is a word that people overuse – authentic – but he is a straight geezer. And people like that ... I would not say this about all politicians but he is genuinely a thoroughly nice bloke.” | “The thing about Jeremy that many people do not understand is you see what you get and you get what you see,” he said. “There is a word that people overuse – authentic – but he is a straight geezer. And people like that ... I would not say this about all politicians but he is genuinely a thoroughly nice bloke.” |
| But neither does want to be too closely tied to the Corbyn project over which he has little or no control. Khan risked alienating some Corbyn voters in an interview at the weekend in which he criticised the policies of shadow chancellor John McDonnell and said he wanted to govern on an unashamedly pro-business platform. | But neither does want to be too closely tied to the Corbyn project over which he has little or no control. Khan risked alienating some Corbyn voters in an interview at the weekend in which he criticised the policies of shadow chancellor John McDonnell and said he wanted to govern on an unashamedly pro-business platform. |
| But in his rapid-fire style, Khan insisted the two men could work together, listing housing, social cleansing, police reform and the living wage as issues on which they could find common ground, while admitting there would be areas – such as attitudes to business and the 60% top rate of tax – where they differ. | But in his rapid-fire style, Khan insisted the two men could work together, listing housing, social cleansing, police reform and the living wage as issues on which they could find common ground, while admitting there would be areas – such as attitudes to business and the 60% top rate of tax – where they differ. |
| “What I am clear about,” he said, “is that I will be Londoners’ advocate to the Labour party rather than the Labour leadership’s advocate to Londoners.” | “What I am clear about,” he said, “is that I will be Londoners’ advocate to the Labour party rather than the Labour leadership’s advocate to Londoners.” |
| Khan’s backstory is well known. He grew up on a south London council estate, his father was a bus driver, his mother a housewife seamstress. He was one of eight siblings and slept in a bunk bed at his parents’ house while he trained to be a lawyer, going on to defend victims of police abuse. | Khan’s backstory is well known. He grew up on a south London council estate, his father was a bus driver, his mother a housewife seamstress. He was one of eight siblings and slept in a bunk bed at his parents’ house while he trained to be a lawyer, going on to defend victims of police abuse. |
| But he turned his back on the legal profession and in 2005 became an MP and close ally of the previous Labour leader, Ed Miliband. | But he turned his back on the legal profession and in 2005 became an MP and close ally of the previous Labour leader, Ed Miliband. |
| When Miliband became leader, Khan was appointed shadow minister for London and shadow justice secretary. He has since built a formidable reputation as an astute organiser and tireless campaigner, overseeing Labour gains both in the local elections in 2014 and this year’s general election where, against a depressing national picture for Labour, the party gained seven seats in the capital. Now he has defeated Jowell to secure the party’s mayoral nomination. | When Miliband became leader, Khan was appointed shadow minister for London and shadow justice secretary. He has since built a formidable reputation as an astute organiser and tireless campaigner, overseeing Labour gains both in the local elections in 2014 and this year’s general election where, against a depressing national picture for Labour, the party gained seven seats in the capital. Now he has defeated Jowell to secure the party’s mayoral nomination. |
| “Hopefully I have shown that I can win elections,” said Khan. | “Hopefully I have shown that I can win elections,” said Khan. |
| The drive and ambition that propelled a working-class Muslim kid on a council estate to become one of the most powerful politicians in the capital is still palpable. He fizzes energy and ideas and asked to describe himself he says “loyal, workaholic”. | The drive and ambition that propelled a working-class Muslim kid on a council estate to become one of the most powerful politicians in the capital is still palpable. He fizzes energy and ideas and asked to describe himself he says “loyal, workaholic”. |
| But if he is successful in May, Khan will be a different mayor to the previous holders of the office. | But if he is successful in May, Khan will be a different mayor to the previous holders of the office. |
| Ken Livingstone and Johnson were both such widely familiar figures, even before they stood, that they were known simply by their first names. | Ken Livingstone and Johnson were both such widely familiar figures, even before they stood, that they were known simply by their first names. |
| Khan was untroubled by his relative anonymity. “Personality is important but policy is better,” he said without missing a beat. “It matters what your vision is for the city, what your plans are for the city, and I want to make sure that by 5 May I have earned the trust of all Londoners from all parts of this city because I think we can do something wonderful.” | Khan was untroubled by his relative anonymity. “Personality is important but policy is better,” he said without missing a beat. “It matters what your vision is for the city, what your plans are for the city, and I want to make sure that by 5 May I have earned the trust of all Londoners from all parts of this city because I think we can do something wonderful.” |
| He said he respected Zac Goldsmith, a maverick Conservative MP and prominent environmentalist, who is odds on to be the Tory’s mayoral candidate. But there was a flash of the political streetfighter in his reply. | He said he respected Zac Goldsmith, a maverick Conservative MP and prominent environmentalist, who is odds on to be the Tory’s mayoral candidate. But there was a flash of the political streetfighter in his reply. |
| “I don’t think that because Zac is a billionaire he has got no empathy. He is a nice bloke. I like Zac, but the issue is not a referendum on who has got the best first name or who is the best-looking. The stakes are so high and the key thing is for me is to impress on Londoners that I am my own person and that I will fight for London.” | “I don’t think that because Zac is a billionaire he has got no empathy. He is a nice bloke. I like Zac, but the issue is not a referendum on who has got the best first name or who is the best-looking. The stakes are so high and the key thing is for me is to impress on Londoners that I am my own person and that I will fight for London.” |
| A key focus of Khan’s campaign will be housing and the “social cleansing” of tens of thousands of poorer families, forced out of central London by high rents and the government’s benefits cap. | A key focus of Khan’s campaign will be housing and the “social cleansing” of tens of thousands of poorer families, forced out of central London by high rents and the government’s benefits cap. |
| “Social cleansing will only accelerate across London if the wrong guy wins this election,” said Khan. “This is high stakes, this change would be irreversible.” | “Social cleansing will only accelerate across London if the wrong guy wins this election,” said Khan. “This is high stakes, this change would be irreversible.” |
| He then underlined one of his key strengths, weaving the wider political point into his own story. | He then underlined one of his key strengths, weaving the wider political point into his own story. |
| “Do we want to live in Paris or New York where the well-off live in the centre and the rest are forced out to the suburbs, or do we want to retain the London that gave me and my family a chance to fulfil our potential? Where the son of a bus driver can go to school with someone whose mum is a professor whose dad is a doctor and everyone broadens their experience, has their horizons raised.” | “Do we want to live in Paris or New York where the well-off live in the centre and the rest are forced out to the suburbs, or do we want to retain the London that gave me and my family a chance to fulfil our potential? Where the son of a bus driver can go to school with someone whose mum is a professor whose dad is a doctor and everyone broadens their experience, has their horizons raised.” |
| Labour has not won the mayoralty in the capital for more than a decade – Livingstone last won in 2004. In a city that is increasingly fertile ground in terms of council seats and MPs that is hard to swallow. The party now hopes that Khan’s track record combined with his personal story will see him over the line. | Labour has not won the mayoralty in the capital for more than a decade – Livingstone last won in 2004. In a city that is increasingly fertile ground in terms of council seats and MPs that is hard to swallow. The party now hopes that Khan’s track record combined with his personal story will see him over the line. |
| He is in touch with Livingstone, who supported his bid to be mayor, and is determined not to fall into some of the same traps that he thinks scuppered the former mayor’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012, when Livingstone was remorselessly attacked by the London Evening Standard and characterised by critics as a “zone one mayor”. | He is in touch with Livingstone, who supported his bid to be mayor, and is determined not to fall into some of the same traps that he thinks scuppered the former mayor’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012, when Livingstone was remorselessly attacked by the London Evening Standard and characterised by critics as a “zone one mayor”. |
| To combat this Khan has already embarked on a “listening tour” that will see him visit scores of schools, businesses and community groups on the outskirts of the capital between now and May next year. There he will flesh out a slew of policy announcements, from a reduction in bus fares to policing plans, that his team believe will chime with people in outer London. | To combat this Khan has already embarked on a “listening tour” that will see him visit scores of schools, businesses and community groups on the outskirts of the capital between now and May next year. There he will flesh out a slew of policy announcements, from a reduction in bus fares to policing plans, that his team believe will chime with people in outer London. |
| “My key thing is to be mayor of all of London,” said Khan. | “My key thing is to be mayor of all of London,” said Khan. |
| The next day Khan was as good as his word, sitting in a secondary school library in north London listening to a group of students as they discussed a ranges of issues from Syrian refugees to Khan’s own dreams of becoming a footballer (he was a useful boxer and cricketer in his youth). | The next day Khan was as good as his word, sitting in a secondary school library in north London listening to a group of students as they discussed a ranges of issues from Syrian refugees to Khan’s own dreams of becoming a footballer (he was a useful boxer and cricketer in his youth). |
| He was warm and self-effacing, mixing politics with stories from his childhood. During a discussion about refugees and potential he recalled how Mo Farah – a black, Muslim one-time asylum seeker – went on to become one of the UK’s greatest ever sports stars. | He was warm and self-effacing, mixing politics with stories from his childhood. During a discussion about refugees and potential he recalled how Mo Farah – a black, Muslim one-time asylum seeker – went on to become one of the UK’s greatest ever sports stars. |
| “My job as mayor would be to make sure that people from schools like this have the chance to go to university, to be a brilliant doctor, discover a cure for cancer be a great army general,” he said. “My ambition is to make sure I can help people fulfil their potential.” | “My job as mayor would be to make sure that people from schools like this have the chance to go to university, to be a brilliant doctor, discover a cure for cancer be a great army general,” he said. “My ambition is to make sure I can help people fulfil their potential.” |
| The students seemed impressed and the session ended with selfies and handshakes. | The students seemed impressed and the session ended with selfies and handshakes. |
| Nowhe has eight months to win over the rest of London. | Nowhe has eight months to win over the rest of London. |