Sadiq Khan pledges to build 40,000 council houses in London if re-elected

Mr Khan is expected to say: “The housing crisis has been decades in the making. But, with political will, it can be overcome. And today – in my first major pledge of this election campaign – I can commit to delivering at least 40,000 new council homes in our city by the end of the decade.”

He will add: “Working together with a new Labour government, I know we can go even further. Quickening the pace, building on the progress we’ve made and unleashing the greatest council housebuilding drive in a generation.

“After years of a Tory government trying to drag London backwards, a Labour government would be transformative, propelling us forwards and helping to accelerate delivery of the homes Londoners desperately need and deserve.”

Housebuilding in London has been a key political talking point in recent months, with the Conservative government accusing Mr Khan of failing to meet the London Plan’s overall building target of 52,000 homes a year.

The past three years have seen an average of 38,000 new homes a year, 15,000 fewer than the London Plan target.

In February, a review of the London Plan commissioned by housing secretary Michael Gove concluded that the capital had seen an increase in affordable housing delivery, but overall housebuilding was on a “downward trend”.

Affordable housing starts in the city increased from around 7,500 in 2016-17 to 25,000 in 2022-23, while completions rose from 5,000 to 14,000 in the same period.

Earlier this month, the mayor announced a new £100m ‘housing kick-start fund’ to convert market rate homes into affordable housing on development sites that have stalled due to economic conditions.

Speaking to Inside Housing in May 2023, Mr Khan also promised to create a new Greater London Authority-owned housing developer if he is re-elected as mayor.

Should Mr Khan be re-elected on 2 May, he would be the first person to achieve three terms as mayor since the directly elected position was created in 2000.