Every vote will count, say candidates as they make final pitches

MAYORAL candidates made their final pitch for votes today as Sadiq Khan said there was “all to play for” — and expressed concerns that a low turnout would benefit his Tory rival Susan Hall.

More than six million Londoners are eligible to vote tomorrow but turnout could dip below the 40 per cent seen in 2021, meaning fewer than 2.4 million people will cast a ballot.

Mr Khan said polls suggesting he was on track for a historic third term were “meaningless” and said he would happily take the narrowest of victories. He told the Standard: “I’m quite clear, as someone who used to captain our cricket team: a win is a win.”

Ms Hall said she was the only one of the 13 candidates with enough support to defeat Mr Khan. “I’m the only one that can beat him. If you want to see an end of Sadiq Khan, then please vote for me,” she said.

She said she would be “knocking on doors all day today and tomorrow” and insisted she “would make a good mayor”. Mr Khan also plans to knock on hundreds of doors tomorrow.

Ms Hall said: “People must vote for what they want. I hope that I am representing what Londoners want. It’s so essential — we have got to get Sadiq Khan out of City Hall.” She said the campaign had been “exhausting but interesting”. She added: “After a year, I shall be pleased to see Thursday.”

Mr Khan’s final day of campaigning got off to a chaotic start when an advertising van failed to turn up, leaving primary school children enlisted to appear alongside him — to plug his free school meals policy — rushing to get back to school for the start of classes.

Mr Khan claimed he had “no idea” that an ad van had been booked for a photocall. Asked about polls indicating he was on course for victory, he said: “It’s all to play for. I think it’s going to be close election. I think the polls are meaningless. The only poll that matters is the poll on May 2. This is a ‘turnout election’.

“I think the Conservatives have deliberately not turned up to hustings because they want a low turnout. Low turnout elections benefit the Conservatives. That is why I have been frustrated by the lack of debates, the lack of challenge and the lack of people being made aware of this election.”

Mr Khan highlighted 10 key policies that he would focus on delivering if re-elected, including making free school meals permanent, never introducing pay-per-mile road charging and putting 1,300 more police on the streets.

But Lib-Dem candidate Rob Blackie put out an alternative “top 10” pledges that Mr Khan had failed to meet, including a ferry crossing at Hammersmith Bridge and ending rough sleeping.

Mr Blackie said: “Based on his record — especially on crime where the Met are catching half as many sex offenders since Sadiq Khan took office — he does not deserve a third term.”

Green candidate Zoe Garbett was canvassing in Lambeth as she sought to retain third place for the Greens.