David Lammy plots bid to be London mayor if Sadiq Khan decides not to run for fourth term

By GLEN OWEN AND DAN HODGES FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Published: 21:44, 8 August 2026 | Updated: 21:56, 8 August 2026 Former deputy prime minister David Lammy plans a bid to be London's mayor if Sir Sadiq Khan decides not to run for a fourth term, say Labour sources. Mr Lammy, ousted from Cabinet when Andy Burnham entered No 10, is understood to believe the sinking fortunes of Zack Polanski's Greens mean Labour is 'back in play' for the mayoralty. Sir Sadiq said yesterday he would decide next year whether to stand for election again in 2028 - if he serves another full term, he will have been London's mayor for 16 years. 'My tank is full, I'm still fizzing with ideas,' he said. To his critics, those ideas have included an obsession with restricting the use of cars, including the hated 20mph zones, and a failure to tackle knife crime. Mr Lammy, the London-born MP for Tottenham, was dubbed 'Calamity Lammy' by the Tories when Justice Secretary after accidental prisoner releases. In 2017, he chaired a review which found that despite making up only 14 per cent of the population, black individuals accounted for 25 per cent of prisoners and more than 40 per cent of young people in custody. Labour has stretched its lead over the Greens since Mr Burnham became Prime Minister. A minister said: 'David Lammy's planning to go for it. His calculation is that with Polanski going backwards, the door's opened for him.' In 2014, Tottenham MP Lammy became the first Labour MP to formally announce his run for London Mayor, positioning himself as a candidate for 'all of London' and criticising both Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone. Former Deputy Prime Minister and Tottenham MP David Lammy is planning a bid to become Mayor of London in 2028, provided Sir Sadiq Khan chooses not to run for a fourth term Sir Sadiq Khan plans to decide next year whether to run again in 2028, stating his 'tank is full,' despite facing criticism over motoring restrictions (like 20mph zones) and knife crime levels Mr Lammy called for affordable housing to be linked to average earnings in each borough.  He proposed introducing a cap on private-sector rents and creating higher council tax bands for large properties. Also, Sir Sadiq took office as Mayor of London in May 2016 and secured re-election in 2021 and 2024, becoming the first London Mayor to serve three terms. Supporters view Khan as a progressive leader who took decisive action on air pollution, protected low-income families through social programs (like free school meals), and modernised London’s transit system.  Critics argue his administration struggled on street crime and policing, imposed heavy financial burdens on drivers via vehicle charges, and managed TfL's finances inefficiently during economic shocks.