Sadiq Khan Says Labour’s First Year Feels Like Being 2–0 Down — But There’s Still Time to Win
Sadiq Khan has compared Labour’s rocky first year in government to a football match where the team finds itself two goals behind — but insists there’s still plenty of time to turn things around.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the London mayor admitted that the party’s first 12 months in office had been far from smooth. “If this was a football game, we’d be 2–0 down,” he told the audience, before pointing out that the political match is only just getting started. “The good news is, we’ve come back from worse before — and we can do it again.”
Labour returned to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition, but its early months have been overshadowed by falling poll numbers and criticism of policies such as changes to welfare. Khan acknowledged the difficulties but highlighted what he sees as bright spots — stronger protections for renters and workers, and steps taken on energy security. Even so, he admitted bluntly: “It hasn’t been a great first year.”
Still, with another four years ahead, Khan believes there is plenty of time to reconnect with the public and change the narrative.
During the same event, Khan was also asked about Donald Trump. Despite being one of the former US president’s regular critics, he said he would be “more than happy” to meet him. Trump recently called Khan “a nasty person” who had done “a terrible job” as mayor of London — jibes that Khan brushed aside. “It’s water off a duck’s back,” he said, joking that sometimes the feud made him feel like he was “back in the playground at age nine.”
But Khan also warned that Trump’s rhetoric carries risks. He argued that some of Trump’s comments about minorities, women, and migrants could “inadvertently radicalise people” by pushing extreme views from the fringes into the mainstream. Still, he added, London’s diversity remains its strength — something he hoped Trump would see first-hand if he visits the UK on his next trip.
“In London, difference makes us stronger, not weaker,” Khan said. “That’s what makes this city one of the greatest in the world.”
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