Labour Must 'Step Up' After 'Difficult' First Year in Office, Khan Says

A Challenging First Year for Labour

Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has emphasized that the Labour Party needs to "really pick things up" following what he described as a "tough" first year in government. He acknowledged that the party has faced significant challenges since coming into power in July 2024, and he urged supporters to recognize these difficulties rather than ignore them.

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, led Labour to victory after more than a decade in opposition, marking the first time the party has held power at Downing Street since 2010. However, Labour's popularity has seen a decline in recent polls, with criticism directed at various policies, including welfare reforms.

"I think it’s been a tough first year," Sir Sadiq admitted during an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He stressed the importance of humility among Labour supporters, saying that those who claim the first year has been great are "letting the party down."

Despite the challenges, Sir Sadiq pointed out that there have been positive developments during this period. These include improvements in renters' rights, workers' rights, and energy security. However, he maintained that the overall performance has not met expectations.

A New Opportunity for Labour

While acknowledging the difficulties, Sir Sadiq remained optimistic about the future. He said that the party has another four years to make necessary changes and turn things around. Using a football analogy, he compared Labour's current position to being "two-nil down" in a match. However, he noted that only 15 or 20 minutes of the game had passed, leaving plenty of time to win.

"It is really important now we really pick things up because I think we are two-nil down," he said. "But the great news is we have turned it round before, we have won games before where we’re two-nil down, we can do it again."

Sir Sadiq also highlighted that many voters who supported Labour last year did not enthusiastically rush to the party but instead gave it "the benefit of the doubt." He explained that this was due to the party's long absence from power at Westminster, which has caused it to lose some of its experience in governance.

Rebuilding the Machinery of Government

After over a decade in opposition, Sir Sadiq said that Labour has struggled to regain its footing in running the country. He noted that the party has taken time to understand how the machinery of government works. However, he expressed confidence in the team currently leading the government.

"There are some really, really good people in the cabinet, there is a good back office team as well," he said. "So I have got confidence we will turn it round."

He praised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his team, emphasizing that they have the potential to perform better than they have so far. While he did not criticize them directly, he suggested that they themselves may acknowledge the need for improvement.

"With Keir and the team we’ve got in Number 10, and across Whitehall, Westminster, we’ve got a great team," Sir Sadiq concluded. "They are not performing to the level I know they can perform at. I’m not being critical of them, I think they themselves would admit they can do much more."

Looking Ahead

As Labour moves forward, Sir Sadiq remains hopeful that the next few years will showcase the best of the government. He believes that with the right approach and continued effort, the party can overcome its current challenges and deliver on its promises to the public.