By Patrick Goodenough | May 6, 2021 | 4:34am EDT
Scotland s First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon campaigns ahead of Thursday s election. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Pool/AFP)
(CNSNews.com) – British voters go to the polls Thursday for a series of votes that will provide an indicator of the national mood 14 months into the coronavirus pandemic and 15 months after the United Kingdom left the European Union, two major issues that will impact many ballot box decisions.
In an election that was postponed by a year because of COVID-19, millions of voters will cast ballots for the devolved Scottish and Welsh parliaments, 143 local councils, mayors in 13 English cities – including London – the 25-member London Assembly, and police and crime commissioners.
London s mayoral candidates have been out casting their votes at polling stations this morning, in an election Sadiq Khan is being tipped to comfortably win.
The Labour candidate is widely expected to retain the keys to City Hall, though his lead over Conservative rival Shaun Bailey has shrunk in recent days amid fears about the capital s crime crisis.
Mr Khan, along with wife Saadiya and their dog Luna, were spotted bright and early at their polling station at St Albans Church in south London, ready to put their crosses in the box.
His main rival, Tory Mr Bailey, was also out with wife Ellie at Drapers Pyrgo Priory School in Romford, as he hopes to cause an upset.
When and what time is London Mayor 2021 election result due?
Londoners will have their say on who should be the capital s mayor
11:52, 6 MAY 2021
The London Mayoral election takes place on Thursday (Image: PA)
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Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice The people of London will take to the polls on Thursday to vote in the mayoral election.
Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images
Voting is under way in London to elect the city’s mayor, with a record number of 20 candidates running for City Hall.
The polls suggest that Labour’s Sadiq Khan will be re-elected, beating the Conservatives’ candidate Shaun Bailey, the Lib Dems’ Luisa Porritt and Green Party’s Sian Berry. But there are plenty of other, more colourful, candidates on the ballot paper.
Count Binface
The satirical candidate created by comedian Jon Harvey, who went up against Boris Johnson in the Uxbridge constituency in the 2019 general election, describes himself as a “friendly neighbourhood space warrior campaigning for justice, lasers, Lovejoy and the return of Ceefax”.
Posted: May 06, 2021 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: May 6
Luisa Porritt, a Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor, delivers campaign literature while out campaigning in the neighbourhood of Bermondsey on April 29.(Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Supported by a team of campaign volunteers, Luisa Porritt is knocking on doors in a public housing complex in South London. The structure is covered in scaffolding and in need of serious repairs.
She is running for mayor, representing the Liberal Democrats, and housing is one of her top priorities. She has come up with a pitch that hopes to take advantage of the pandemic: turning empty office space into affordable homes.