Full Breakdown
Festus Akinbusoye Announces Bid for London Mayor in 2028
By Drooid · · How we work
Candidate Profile and Political Background
Festus Akinbusoye, a 48-year-old Westminster councillor and single parent, is positioning himself as the Conservative Party’s contender for the London mayoralty in the election scheduled for May 4, 2028. Raised and educated in London, he previously served as Britain’s first Black police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire Police from 2021 to 2024. Before entering public office, Akinbusoye played professional basketball in the Budweiser League and is known for his collection of Air Jordan trainers. He now seeks to replace incumbent mayor Sadiq Khan, who has held the office since 2016 and has not yet confirmed a fourth term.
Policy Priorities
- Police Resources: Akinbusoye argues that a “shrinking police force” hampers public safety. He proposes raising the Metropolitan Police headcount to 40,000 officers over two mayoral terms, expanding the number of special constables, and improving officer retention to curb transfers out of London.
- Police Management: He calls for an audit of the police budget and the Mayor’s office, and for reinstating borough commanders in all 32 London boroughs, reversing the current merged-area structure.
- Transport and Environment: While acknowledging the environmental aims of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), he suggests a review of the charge in outer boroughs, citing limited public-transport alternatives for residents there.
- Education and Hospitality: The candidate plans to intensify efforts against school truancy and to examine cost pressures on the city’s hospitality sector.
Electoral Context
Akinbusoye’s main rival for the Conservative nomination is former cabinet minister James Cleverly, a long-time London Assembly member. To secure the party’s endorsement, Akinbusoye must persuade Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch that his platform offers the strongest chance of winning City Hall for the first time since Boris Johnson’s term ended in 2016. The final Conservative candidate will be selected by a vote of party members in London.
Timeline
- 2021-2024: Serves as Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
- 2026 (September): Metro interview reveals Akinbusoye’s mayoral ambitions and policy outline.
- May 4, 2028 (scheduled): London mayoral election.
Akinbusoye’s campaign emphasizes a “biggest champion and challenger” stance toward the Metropolitan Police, linking his personal experience of repeated stop-and-search encounters with a broader call for policing reforms and a reassessment of environmental charges in the capital’s outer boroughs.