Sadiq Khan accepts full salary after taking a voluntary pay cut last year

Mayor says he took cut due to impact Covid had on GLA’s finances

(PA)

Sadiq Khan will accept his full salary after taking a voluntary pay cut last year, his spokesperson has confirmed.

The London mayor in June last year took the decision to reduce his £152,734 pay packet by 10 per cent.

He said the move was in recognition of the impact coronavirus was having on the Greater London Authority's finances.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Khan said: “The Mayor has always prioritised protecting frontline services during this pandemic and in June 2020 he volunteered to take a temporary 10 per cent salary cut for an initial six months after it became clear that the Greater London Authority would need to make significant savings."

The spokesperson added: "The Mayor also froze the pay of his mayoral appointees during this period.”

It comes after Mr Khan was re-elected to City Hall for a second term following a closer than expected challenge from the Tory candidate, Shaun Bailey.

The incumbent gained 1,013,721 first-preference votes compared to Mr Bailey’s 893,051, then a further 192,313 second-preference votes compared to Mr Bailey’s 84,550.

The Green Party came third behind the two main candidates, with Sian Berry getting 197,976 first-preference votes and 486,798 second-preference.

Actor-turned-populist Laurence Fox gained 47,634 first-preference votes, while novelty candidate Count Binface beat Piers Corbyn with 24,775 against 20,604.

In his victory speech from City Hall, Mr Khan said he was "deeply humbled" to be re-elected and pledged to a build a "better and brighter future" for the capital following the Covid pandemic.

"It’s in this spirit that I promise to lead London over the next three years, building bridges between the different communities in our city, building bridges across cultural, social and class divides," he said.