London mayor election LIVE: Polls close as final votes cast in Sadiq Khan and Susan Hall battle for City Hall

Londoners have cast their votes in the 2024 mayoral election that has pit Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan against Tory challenger Susan Hall.

Thirteen candidates have been battling it out on election day, which kicked off as voting stations opened at 7am, with millions expected to have voted to elect a new London Assembly.

Voting ended at 10pm when polling stations across the capital shut.

The race between the two frontrunners was electrified on Wednesday by a poll in the Standard which showed Mr Khan’s lead over Ms Hall had closed to the smallest since their campaigns started.

The Savanta survey for the Centre for London put the Labour mayor on 42 per cent and Tory candidate 32 per cent.

Voters have headed to the polls across the country in a series of local elections seen as the final test of public opinion before Rishi Sunak goes to the country later this year.

Forecasts suggest the Tories could lose up to half of the council seats they are defending, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt saying the party expects to suffer “significant losses”.

Follow latest updates below.

Londoners go to the polls

• Who are the London Mayor candidates?

• What are their key policies?

• Don't forget your ID!

Londoners begin voting in Mayoral and Assembly elections

Thursday 2 May 2024 07:10 , Josh Salisbury

Good morning. Londoners have begun voting in the London Mayoral and Assembly elections.

Polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm.

Counting will then begin as soon as polls close, with the result expected to be announced on Saturday, May 4.

Polls suggest the Mayoral race is a contest between Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan and Conservative candidate, Susan Hall.

How do I vote in today's election?

Thursday 2 May 2024 07:17 , Josh Salisbury

Registered voters can cast their choice for the Mayoral and Assembly elections at their local polling station, which they will find on their polling card.

If you do not have your polling card, this tool will tell you your local polling station.

Photo ID is now required for all English local and parliamentary elections so do not forget to bring it along with you.

A list of acceptable ID formats can be found on the Electoral Commission website here, and include drivers’ licence and Older Persons bus passes.

Anyone who has lost their ID but still wants to vote can apply for an emergency proxy vote up to 5pm today.

Race tightened before Londoners headed to polls

Thursday 2 May 2024 07:23 , Josh Salisbury

Polls on the eve of the election suggest that Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan is in pole position to reclaim the Mayoralty - but he may face serious challenges from the Conservatives’ Susan Hall.

A Savanta survey for the Centre for London put the Labour mayor on 42 per cent and Tory candidate 32 per cent.

The gap of ten percentage points is down from 13 points in a Savanta poll published last week.

Speaking before polls opened, Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta said: “Our final poll before Londoners choose their next Mayor suggests that the race has tightened in the last few days before polling day.”

Voters pictured arriving to cast their ballot

Thursday 2 May 2024 07:28 , Josh Salisbury

Voters who have gotten up early to cast their ballot in today’s election have been pictured in north London.

These are the scenes from a polling booth in Hatch End, Pinner, as millions of Londoners prepare to decide who the next Mayor will be.

Who are the Mayoral candidates?

Thursday 2 May 2024 07:50 , Josh Salisbury

Londoners have a choice of thirteen candidates for the Mayoral election.

Here are who the candidates are for the major parties standing in today’s vote.

Sadiq Khan

Mayor since 2016, previously Labour MP for Tooting. Former lawyer, married with two adult daughters. Seeking to be first London mayor to serve three terms.

Susan Hall

London Assembly member, leading the Tory group, and former Harrow council leader. She is a grandmother and left school at eighteen to start working in her father’s garage, before setting up her own hairdressing business.

Zoe Garbett

Ms Garbett, the Green Party candidate, is a Green councillor in Hackney. She works as an NHS administrator and is a renter.

Rob Blackie

Adviser to tech start-up companies. Spent two years in Africa on elephant conservation projects. Father of two. Cancer survivor.

Susan Hall arrives to cast her vote in Pinner

Thursday 2 May 2024 07:52 , Josh Salisbury

The Conservatives’ Susan Hall has arrived at her polling station in Pinner to cast her vote.

She arrived with daughter Louise Staite to cast her ballot before posing for photographs.

Local elections seen as key test for Rishi Sunak

Thursday 2 May 2024 08:18 , Josh Salisbury

Away from London, today’s local elections will be seen as the final test of public opinion before Rishi Sunak goes to the country later this year.

Forecasts suggest the Tories could lose up to half of the council seats they are defending.

Conservative mayors Andy Street in the West Midlands, and Tees Valley's Ben Houchen are also facing key re-election battles, with polls suggesting narrow contests with their Labour opponents.

Wins for both Mr Street and Mr Houchen would offer the Tories a ray of light in what forecasts suggest could be a dismal set of results, but experts warned the metro mayor races would be the "least reliable indicator" of what could happen at a general election.

A by-election is also taking place for the Parliamentary seat of Blackpool South, which Labour hopes to win, after former MP Scott Benton resigned over lobbying allegations.

Dogs at polling stations makes a return

Thursday 2 May 2024 08:34 , Josh Salisbury

Some voters heading to the polls have brought company in the form of their pets.

Pictured immediately below is Cinna, an 8-year-old rescue dog from Greece, who arrived with their owners to the polling station at St Alban's Church in south London to help them cast their vote.

Sadiq Khan pictured at polling station to cast ballot

Thursday 2 May 2024 08:47 , Josh Salisbury

Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan has now arrived at his local polling station to cast his vote.

He was joined by his wife, Saadiya Khan, and their dog, Luna.

Bakery sells election themed doughnuts

Thursday 2 May 2024 09:38 , Josh Salisbury

A north London bakery has got a novel twist on the Mayoral elections - it is selling doughnuts with Sadiq Khan’s face on them.

Dunn's bakery in Crouch End is selling the products as Londoners vote.

However, the bakery has no plans to sell Susan Hall-themed doughnuts as well.

Sadiq Khan doughnuts removed from general sale

Thursday 2 May 2024 10:05 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

We reported earlier that north London bakery Dunn’s in Crouch End was selling doughnuts with Sadiq Khan’s face on them - but was not selling any featuring rival Susan Hall.

But in a twist, the Standard’s City Hall editor Ross Lydall has discovered the Khan pastries were in fact a “special order”, and were reportedly put on display accidentally by staff.

“Possibly the biggest story of the 2024 mayoral election,” he joked on X. “Who pre-ordered the Sadiq doughnuts?”

When will mayoral election result be announced?

Thursday 2 May 2024 10:21 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

London is expected to be braced for many hours after polls have closed tonight, before the result of the mayoral election is announced.

It will most likely be early afternoon on Saturday at the earliest when it will become clear whether Sadiq Khan has won a third term in City Hall or if Tory candidate Susan Hall has pulled off a surprise victory.

Read more from our political editor Nicolas Cecil here, where he explains more about the count and how it takes place.

Don't forget your ID - as Tory MP gets caught out

Thursday 2 May 2024 11:13 , Rachael Burford

For the first time Londoners need photo ID to vote in an election.

Ahead of the polls opening, our City Hall reporter Noah Vickers reported that one in seven voters in the capital were unaware.

A list of acceptable IDs is here. The new rules already appear to have caught out one Tory MP.

Ipswich MP Tom Hunt sent a message to local Conservative members asking them to help him out so he could vote today.

Donald Trump reignites his feud with Sadiq Khan

Thursday 2 May 2024 11:40 , Rachael Burford

Donald Trump has reignited his feud with Sadiq Khan by claiming London has been left “unrecognisable” because of immigration.

The former US President, currently fighting four criminal cases against him, told an election rally in Wisconsin: “We've seen what happened when Europe opened its doors to jihad. Look at Paris, look at London, they're no longer recognisable.”

Mr Khan hit back saying: “Today is an opportunity to show Donald Trump and my Tory opponent that London will always choose hope over fear and unity over division.”

Before a 2018 visit to the UK, while he was a sitting president, Mr Trump said the Mayor had “done a terrible job in London.” The clash was sparked by Mr Khan giving permission for a giant balloon depicting Mr Trump in a nappy to be flown over Westminster by protesters during the official visit.

Protests in London on election day

Thursday 2 May 2024 12:16 , Rachael Burford

Pro-Palestinian protests have broken out at Goldsmiths University in London following violent clashes at demonstrations at campuses in the US.Students stormed the library and occupied the first two floors overnight.

When the Standard visited posters with the slogans “Shut Down 4 Palestine” and, controversially, “From The River to the Sea” has been plastered on the building.

Meanwhile protesters in Peckham are blocking a coach from taking asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge.

Dozens of demonstrators wearing face coverings surrounded the vehicle outside the Best Western in Peckham Road on Thursday morning.

Students in Leeds, Newcastle and Bristol have also set up camps as part of the Gaza action.

Westminster polling

Thursday 2 May 2024 13:09 , Rachael Burford

The Conservatives are currently polling lower than they were under Liz Truss, the latest data from YouGov has revealed.

The survey finds the Tories on 18 per cent, down -2 since April 24.

This is the lowest Conservative vote share of this Parliament, lower than under Liz Truss, when it sank to 19 per cent.

By contrast, Labour are on 44 per cent of voter intention, -1 since the end of April.

Top Trumps to help out undecided Londoners

Thursday 2 May 2024 13:15 , Rachael Burford

Thirteen candidates are standing in today’s London mayoral election.

Sadiq Khan has been consistently ahead in the polls leading up to election day.

But the gap narrowed, according to some surveys, with Tory candidate Susan Hall not far behind the Labour incumbent.

Unsure who to vote for? Here’s our handy top trumps guide to help you out.

Tory MP blames dyspraxia for losing ID needed to vote

Thursday 2 May 2024 13:18 , Rachael Burford

A Tory MP has blamed his dyspraxia for losing his photo ID that he needed to vote in today’s elections.

Tom Hunt was forced to arrange an emergency proxy vote this morning.

The Ipswich MP warned people "persecuting" him online to be "very careful with their words", saying it is "well known that sadly we are slightly more prone to lose things".

Voters are required to present certain forms of ID to take part in today’s local elections after new rules came into force.

Acceptable ID includes a passport, driving licence, Proof of Age Standards Scheme (Pass) cards, Blue Badges, and 60+ Oyster cards.

Young person TfL travel passes cannot be used at polling stations.

Get to the polling station quick to avoid 'biblical' rain

Thursday 2 May 2024 14:10 , Rachael Burford

A thunderstorm warning has been issued for large parts of the England today.

According to the Met office, heavy rain will start again in London at around 6pm and carrying on well into the night.

A yellow warning is in place until midnight and could lead to travel disruption and some flooding, it was warned.

So voters wanting to avoid downpours should get to their local polling station as early as possible.

Home Secretary criticises Peckham protesters

Thursday 2 May 2024 14:48 , Rachael Burford

Home Secretary James Cleverly has criticised the Peckham protesters blocking a coach from taking asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge.

He accuses the group of being a “small group of students, posing for social media” who will not “deter” the Government.

Demonstrators, many with their faces covered, surrounded the coach near the Best Western Hotel in Peckham this morning.

Welfare group SOAS Detainee Support called for more people to help stop the vehicle leaving.

It said: "Comrades have stopped our friends being taken to the Bibby barge - but more numbers needed.

“We've also learned the coach is meant to be taking people from three other hotels en route.

"Resistance may be needed at these three hotels if the coach eventually leaves Peckham - but the comrades are determined it won't."

Peckham protest: Coach drives off with no migrants on board

Thursday 2 May 2024 15:24 , Rachael Burford

The bus due to take asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge has been forced to drive away with no migrants on board.

Police clashed with protesters trying to block the coach in Peckham earlier today and the vehicle's tyres were deflated.

The Home Office said it has also abandoned plans to move a group of asylum seekers living in Kent to the barge in the wake of protests.

The men living in Margate were served notice that they would be transferred to the asylum accommodation in Dorset earlier this month.

But following action by residents to disrupt coaches in April, the Government said it has now withdrawn the plans.

Veteran Card to be added to polling station ID list

Thursday 2 May 2024 15:33 , Rachael Burford

The new Veteran Card will be added to the list of IDs accepted at polling stations, the government has said.

It follows reports that a retired soldier was turned away when trying to vote in today’s elections.

A government spokesman said: “Our intention is for the new Veteran Card, which was rolled out in January 2024, to be added to the official list of recognised identification – and we are already consulting on this.

“Defence Identity cards for serving Armed Forces members are already accepted.”

Dogs at polling stations

Thursday 2 May 2024 16:05 , Robert Dex

Sadiq Khan was not the only voter to take a four legged friend to the polling station.

Click here to see our best pictures of dogs at polling stations.

Government says immigration protests are 'unacceptable'.

Thursday 2 May 2024 17:02 , Robert Dex

Away from the elections the government has found itself under pressure over its immigration policies.

A Number 10 spokeswoman described the protests in Peckham and Margate aiming to stop asylum seekers being moved to the Bibby Stockholm barge as “unacceptable”.

“Clearly this disruption and disorder was completely unacceptable and it is unacceptable for Home Office staff to be prevented from carrying out their work,” the spokeswoman said.

Who could replace the PM if the Tories have a bad night?

Thursday 2 May 2024 17:19 , Robert Dex

A bad result for the Prime Minister could see increased calls from within his party for him to go.

One time leadership rival Penny Mordaunt laughed off speculation she would be “installed rather like a new boiler into No 10” if the Tories struggled at the ballot box but other say a challenge to Rishi Sunak could materialise.

Here is a look at the runners and riders to replace the PM if he is forced out.

Polling card confusion?

Thursday 2 May 2024 17:47 , Robert Dex

Election day has seen voters get to grips with new rules about voter ID but according to one report some election staff still don’t understand the old rules.

Journalist Miranda Green said her 90-year-old mother was turned away from casting her vote because she did not have her polling card.

As Green pointed out you “do not need a polling card to vote”.

Fifteen memorable moments from this mayoral campaign: How many can you remember?

Thursday 2 May 2024 18:12 , Robert Dex

The average voter casting their ballot for London Mayor may struggle to think of 15 memorable moments in the campaign.

Fear not, we’ve done it for you. How many do you remember here?

Why do we have to wait until Saturday for the result in the mayoral election?

Thursday 2 May 2024 18:32 , Robert Dex

The votes of around two million Londoners will be counted by hand after today’s election with the result not expected until Saturday.

Our Political Editor Nicholas Cecil explains how the process works here.

Going to vote? Don't forget your photo ID.

Thursday 2 May 2024 19:02 , Robert Dex

If you’re going to vote after work today do not forget this election is the first one being fought under new rules that mean you need photo ID to cast your ballot.

There are more than 20 acceptable forms of this from passports to freedom passes.

If you have any concerns the Electoral Commission has done a handy guide to the rules here.

Labour calls for review of 'discredited' voter ID law.

Thursday 2 May 2024 19:36 , Robert Dex

Labour’s shadow veterans minister Steve McCabe said “multiple problems” had been found with voter ID and called for a “comprehensive review into this discredited policy”.He was speaking after former servicemen and women reported being turned away at the ballot box because their veterans ID card was not accepted as one of the recognised forms of ID.

Today’s election is the first time many voters in England and Wales have had to present ID to vote under provisions first rolled out at last year’s local elections.

Boris forgets his ID?

Thursday 2 May 2024 20:04 , Robert Dex

Sky News are reporting former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among those turned away at the ballot box because they did not have the right ID.

They said Mr Johnson, whose government introduced the ID law, was initially turned away by staff in South Oxfordshire.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson did not deny he had failed to bring ID.

Voting enters final hour

Thursday 2 May 2024 21:14 , Matt Watts

Voting has entered its final hour in the election, with the polls due to close at 10pm.

Time ticking for mayoral hopefuls as election enters its endgame

Thursday 2 May 2024 21:28 , Robert Dex

All parties are now in a desperate race to get their supporters to the polls with less than an hour to go.

Critics of the mayoral system say it favours the incumbent but any complacency Sadiq Khan’s team were feeling crumbled yesterday when a poll showed his once-strong lead over Susan Hall falling to just 10 points - the lowest since campaigning started.

Polls close in the mayoral and London Assembly elections

Thursday 2 May 2024 22:13 , Matt Watts

Polls have now closed with more than two people expected to have cast votes in the mayoral election and the London Assembly election.

When will the results be announced?

Thursday 2 May 2024 22:13 , Matt Watts

Ballots will be verified on Friday but the actual counting of votes will not take place until Saturday, with thousands of volunteers to count the votes by hand across 14 centres.

The votes in the London mayoral elections will be counted alongside the votes in the London Assembly elections. The first results are expected at around noon on Saturday with speculation that by around 1.30pm it might be clear who will emerge as winner, but the final result is not expected until the evening.

For more information, on when the result will be announced, read our explainer here.

Coverage ends for the day

Thursday 2 May 2024 22:27 , Matt Watts

That ends our coverage for the evening. Please check back in with our live blog on Friday and Saturday for more on the elections. Thanks for following the election with us.