Sadiq Khan WINS third term as London mayor after trouncing Tory rival Susan Hall in a landslide - dashing rumours backlash over ULEZ, crime and Gaza could cause a shock

Sadiq Khan is acceptable for a 3rd word arsenic London politician aft trouncing his Tory rival - dashing rumours that helium could beryllium ousted by a backlash implicit ULEZ, crime and Gaza.

The Labour incumbent defeated Susan Hall successful astir of the 14 electoral areas successful the capital, sweeping to a immense victory. 

Labour sources hailed the win, insisting Mr Khan had 'done amended than anyone could person expected' and gained crushed connected the Conservatives 'right crossed London'.

As the declarations were made, it rapidly became wide that Tory hopes of a shock, driven by speculation turnout was down successful interior London, were wide of the mark.

The borderline is importantly bigger than the 4.7 points helium bushed Shaun Bailey by astatine the past contention successful 2021. And it volition substance soul-searching wrong the Conservatives implicit however they ended up with Ms Hall arsenic the campaigner - and wherefore she was incapable to capitalise connected choler astatine the mayor's performance.   

Polls successful the tally up to the ballot connected Thursday had shown Mr Khan with a comfy pb of betwixt 10 and 22 points. 

However, jitters started spreading done Labour circles yesterday implicit a spike successful turnout successful outer London - typically dominated by Conservative voters and wherever choler astir the ULEZ expansion has been astir fierce.

Supporters of Mr Khan were disquieted that helium could person been damaged by a wider inclination of Muslim voters shunning Labour implicit Keir Starmer's beardown enactment for Israel.

But Keir Starmer insisted this greeting helium was 'confident' that Mr Khan tin support power of City Hall.

That presumption was proved close arsenic the declarations began this morning. 

Mr Khan won 83,792 votes successful Greenwich and Lewisham, 1 of the archetypal London boroughs to state its mayoral vote, with Ms Hall connected 36,822.

That was equivalent to a 4.5 per cent plaything from the Tories to Labour compared to the erstwhile contention successful 2021. 

In Merton and Wandsworth Mr Khan received 84,725 and Ms Hall 50,976.

That was a 5.1 per cent plaything distant from the Conservatives. 

Mr Khan besides recorded commanding leads successful the West Central country - by 54,481 to 43,405 for Ms Hall - wherever Tory candidates person antecedently triumphed.

In the North East, helium was up by 127,455 to 34,099, and successful the South West by 77,011 to 68,856 - though determination are inactive 9 much results to come. 

The lone objection was successful Bexley and Bromley, wherever Ms Hall racked up a immense 111,216 votes, much than treble the 48,952 for Mr Khan. 

The full ballot successful London was 2,495,621.

The enactment implicit the enlargement of the £12.50-a-day ULEZ complaint was antecedently credited with helping the Tories to cling connected successful the Uxbridge by-election, though Mr Khan's squad had hoped the fallout was dissipating. 

Mr Khan was 1 of the archetypal Labour politicians to telephone for an contiguous ceasefire successful Gaza, but Sir Keir's beardown enactment for Israel's close to self-defence caused choler among galore supporters. 

There was grounds of that successful the results yesterday, with Labour losing wide power of Oldham assembly aft independents claimed seats.

One elder state of Mr Khan told MailOnline that it is 'going to beryllium close'. 'The polls were rubbish,' they added. 'London is exceptionally hard to poll.' 

Another governmental veteran, who inactive believes Mr Khan volition win, pointed retired that Labour has not been performing good successful section assembly by-elections.

But Sir Keir said: 'Sadiq Khan was perfectly the close candidate. He has got 2 presumption of transportation down him and I americium assured that helium has got different word of transportation successful beforehand of him.'

Asked connected Sky News yesterday astir the jitters, shadiness wellness caput Wes Streeting - MP for Ilford North - said: 'We've ever feared this contention volition beryllium close.'

He highlighted that Mr Khan lone won the archetypal circular of voting by 5 per cent successful 2021. Since past the authorities has changed the voting strategy to archetypal past the post, meaning Mr Khan volition not payment from 2nd preferences of Greens and Lib Dems. 

'We were informing Londoners you know, don't instrumentality the hazard of waking up with a Conservative mayor,' Mr Streeting said. 

He went on: 'It is excessively aboriginal to accidental yet what we deliberation the effect volition be, verification of votes are taking spot contiguous the counting volition beryllium tomorrow. 

'I mean, based connected what I saw successful my ain constituency and bearing successful caput the past predetermination a fewer years agone - Sadiq mislaid each ward successful Iford North barroom 1 - I felt that determination was a spot much enactment for him this clip successful my constituency.

'There are radical who are aggravated with him astir Ulez we benignant of had that statement of pursuing the Uxbridge by election. 

'And, you know, I didn't hold with him, but helium stuck to his guns, stuck to his convictions. Fair enough.' 

Mr Streeting deed retired astatine radical maltreatment suffered by Mr Khan, but acknowledged that Gaza could beryllium a origin successful the election.

'There's nary uncertainty looking astatine immoderate of the results crossed the state that person already travel successful that Gaza has been an issue,' helium said. 

'And I accidental say that with large respect to voters who sent america a connection connected Gaza. So we'll person to hold and spot wherever the results travel in.' 

Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: 'While Sadiq Khan remains the favourite to triumph the contention for London Mayor this morning, doubts are intelligibly creeping successful and Betfair Exchange punters are present earnestly eyeing Tory rival Susan Hall arsenic a contender.'