London Mayor Sadiq Khan, re-elected for a third term, faced criticism from Conservative politicians due to his comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Following his inauguration, Khan made statements calling for equal condemnation of both Hamas and Israel’s actions. This stance prompted backlash from several figures, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and ex-business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, who argued that Israel’s right to self-defence should not be equated with terrorist acts by Hamas. A Downing Street source also urged Labour leader Keir Starmer to publicly distance himself from Khan’s comments, emphasizing that there is no equivalence between a terrorist organization and a democratic state.

Meanwhile, Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall, after losing to Khan, expressed gratitude towards her supporters and committed to continue advocating for Londoners’ concerns from her position in the London Assembly. She focused on issues such as crime, the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), and housing costs throughout her campaign. Despite her defeat, Hall pledged to keep pushing for a positive political approach and to address public concerns directly.

The criticisms towards Khan and Hall’s campaign reflections both illuminate the heightened political sensitivities surrounding the handling of international conflicts and domestic issues by London’s political leaders.