Dawn Butler has denied that she is running for Mayor of London, following reports that she would announce a bid to replace Sadiq Khan in 2028. The Brent East MP issued a statement on Tuesday, May 19, rejecting claims made by PoliticsJoe that she would declare her candidacy on Wednesday, May 20.
Butler's Statement on Mayoral Ambitions
In her statement, Butler said that while becoming Mayor of London would be "the honour of her life," she would not pursue the role unless there is a vacancy. She praised Sadiq Khan, saying: "We recently celebrated 10 years of my close friend, Sir Sadiq Khan, being the Mayor of London and he has done an amazing job. It has been a decade of delivery for our capital, often in difficult circumstances under the last Tory government and his work is not yet finished."
Butler added: "If there is a vacancy one day, I will absolutely be putting my name forward. This is the best city in the world. I am a Londoner through and through and I have big plans and ambitions if one day I am chosen by Londoners to represent them as Mayor. In the meantime, I continue my work proudly representing the people of Brent East in Parliament."
Background on Dawn Butler
Butler previously served as a trade union officer and advisor to former Mayor Ken Livingstone before being elected as the MP for Brent South in 2005. Her constituency was later abolished and replaced by Brent Central, which she narrowly lost to the Liberal Democrats in 2010. She returned to Parliament in 2015, winning the same seat and becoming a close supporter of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, serving in his shadow cabinet. Since then, she has remained a backbencher. Following boundary changes ahead of the 2024 election, she now represents Brent East.
Sadiq Khan's Potential Fourth Term
Earlier this year, Sadiq Khan indicated that he would run for a fourth term as Mayor of London. If successful, he would serve 16 years in office, more than double the tenures of his predecessors Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone. Butler's statement suggests she supports Khan's continued leadership and will only consider a mayoral run if he steps down.
