Londoners may regret protest votes for Reform or Greens in local elections, says Sadiq Khan

Exclusive: Capital’s mayor warns people not to use next month’s elections as a referendum on Labour’s progress

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Sadiq Khan has said he can understand why some former Labour voters are “flirting” with other parties in the run-up to May’s elections, but said that they may regret seeing a Green or Reform-led council in their areas.

Speaking to the Guardian at a youth centre, where he was announcing new funding for facilities for young people, the London mayor also cautioned Labour MPs against considering a challenge to Keir Starmer, saying such “navel gazing” would be punished by the electorate.