Sadiq Khan has issued a stark but hopeful message to his party, warning that Labour must “pick things up” after what he called a “tough” first year in government. Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the London mayor acknowledged the challenges the party has faced since its landslide general election win in July 2024, and urged the leadership not to ignore its shortcomings.
Despite Labour’s historic majority win, Khan said the past year has been far from smooth. With the country still recovering from years of economic instability and underinvestment under the former Conservative government, he argued that Labour has struggled to regain public trust and prove that it can effectively govern.
He admitted that some voters had only “lent” Labour their support to remove the Tories, and cautioned that many in the party would be “delusional” if they didn’t acknowledge how hard the first 12 months had been.
Khan has previously criticised the government on issues such as welfare cuts and infrastructure expansion, including opposition to Heathrow’s third runway. At the festival, he again stressed that the party had been out of power for so long, it had effectively “lost the memory of running things.”
While he was critical, Khan said he still believed in the government’s ability to turn things around. He praised the team around Prime Minister Keir Starmer, calling them strong and capable, but said they needed to do more — and do it faster.
He likened the situation to a football match, saying Labour was currently “two-nil down,” but insisted the game was far from over. “It’s still early — 15 or 20 minutes in. We’ve got time to win this match.”
Khan did note that the government had achieved progress in some areas, such as renters’ rights, workers’ protections, and energy security. But overall, he didn’t sugarcoat the message: “It hasn’t been a great first year.”
His comments echo wider concerns within Labour about a lack of direction under Starmer. Recent polling suggests the prime minister is struggling to connect with voters. Some critics say his policies appear reactive and overly cautious, particularly in trying to appeal to right-leaning Reform UK voters — at the risk of alienating Labour’s traditional base.
Proposals like cuts to winter fuel payments, hesitancy over taking a strong stance on the war in Gaza, and controversial welfare reform plans have all contributed to unrest among supporters and within the party itself.
Khan’s remarks come at a critical political moment, as Starmer prepares to join international leaders — including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — for high-stakes talks at the White House. The gathering, hosted by US President Donald Trump, is expected to focus on efforts to secure US-backed guarantees for Ukraine as part of any future peace deal with Russia.
With so many eyes on Starmer and the UK’s international leadership role, Khan’s comments serve as a timely reminder that domestic politics still looms large in the background.
Labour now faces a crucial decision: continue playing it safe and risk losing public momentum — or regroup, refocus, and take bold action to show they’re ready to lead with vision and confidence. According to Khan, it’s not too late — but the clock is ticking.
