London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 02, 2026

London mayoral race 2021: Five things learned from Khan v Bailey

London mayoral race 2021: Five things learned from Khan v Bailey

Sadiq Khan and Shaun Bailey did not hold back in a head-to-head debate that got personal at times.

The two leading candidates to become mayor of London set out their stalls on policing, transport and the capital's recovery from the pandemic.

Here's what we learned from their debate on BBC London.

1. They blame each other for rising crime


The debate started off with the two candidates common ground, both agreeing that there needs to be "greater education" for young men to improve safety for women in London in the light of the killing of Sarah Everard.

But as the conversation moved on to rising crime in London, the pair blamed each other.

Mr Khan pointed out Mr Bailey was "the youth and crime advisor to David Cameron and George Osborne" during the years of austerity, when "the cuts began to our police services and youth service".

He also pointed out that violent crime has been rising across the country since then, not just in London.

Before the pandemic the number of violent crimes in England and Wales was rising by 19% a year.

Conservative candidate Mr Bailey laid the blame squarely at the current mayor's door.

"If the streets are not safe that's the responsibility of the mayor," he said. "Safe streets in London aren't a luxury, they're a necessity."

Hearing Mr Bailey talk about rising crime "was like an arsonist lighting a flame complain the Fire Brigade can't put the fire out quick enough," Mr Khan responded,

2. Differences on pandemic response


Mr Khan, who will again be standing for Labour on 6 May, described his opponent as a "lockdown sceptic" for publicly calling for London to remain open ahead of the second period of national restrictions.

The mayor called for a "public inquiry and reckoning for those responsible for the premature deaths of Londoners".

Mr Bailey said any recovery needs to balance the "safety of individuals and the safety of our economy".

He accused Mr Khan of making Londoners afraid to use public transport, which had hurt businesses.

Since the pandemic, Transport for London's (TfL) fare revenues have fallen by 90%.

Mr Khan said he had a £544m plan to get the city back on its feet, but Mr Bailey said this would not help Londoners "out of work right now".

He said the mayor should "look people in the eye and tell them where their job has gone".

Labour candidate Sadiq Khan has been mayor of London since 2016
3. Who can get the best deal for London?


Since a £1.6bn bailout for Transport for London (TfL) was agreed last May, there has been a public war of words between the government and Mr Khan.

"If the government and civil servants do not trust you, then you cannot get a good deal for London," Mr Bailey said.

He accused Mr Khan of "picking fights for no reason to look like you're working".

In response, Mr Khan said his opponent would be "in the pocket of the government " if elected mayor.

Londoners instead "want a mayor who stands up for our city", he continued.

Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey is a former youth worker and current London Assembly member
4. Campaign catchphrases


Both candidates peppered their speech with phrases we can expect to hear repeatedly over the course of the campaign.

Mr Khan painted Mr Bailey's criticisms as "talking London down".

Several times in the debate he claimed the election will be a choice between candidates "talking down London or standing up for London".

Mr Bailey, on the other hand said London needed "a fresh start," which also happens to be his campaign slogan.

5. They both miss their mums


While reflecting on the impact of the pandemic, the candidates revealed they were both missing their mothers.

When asked what he missed most during the past months, Mr Khan said: "hugging my mum.

"It's been really hard, I've not seen her properly for some time," he added.

Mr Bailey said the biggest personal issue had been seeing the impact on "the mental health of my children".

But he added he also hadn't been able to see his mum "because she's asthmatic".


Key moments from the Sadiq Khan and Shaun Bailey debate


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Sainsbury Agrees to Sell Argos in £120 Million Deal to Private Consortium
High Court Clears Way for Construction of Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court
UK Fuel Prices Climb to Multi-Month Highs as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Disrupt Oil Supplies
Severe Summer Drought and Record Heat Put UK Harvests at Risk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces Labour Backbench Opposition Over Potential Support for New North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling
Bank of England Warns Inflation Will Stay Above 3% as Middle East Energy Shock Prolongs Cost-of-Living Pressures
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
Northern Ireland Reaches Budget Agreement on Infrastructure and Public Sector Pay
Home Office Expands Digital Border Checks Nationwide
UK Approves Major North Sea Wind and Carbon Capture Project
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
Scotland Approves Major Renewable Energy Expansion
UK and United States Sign AI and Semiconductor Cooperation Pact
UK Treasury Tightens Fiscal Controls After Gilt Market Volatility
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 4.5%
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Funding Overhaul and Workforce Reform
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
×