London Mayor Sadiq Khan during the parade at Pride in London 2019. (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Pride in London)

London mayor Sadiq Khan has vowed to support Pride, UK Black Pride and a new LGBTQ+ community centre if he’s re-elected.

Pledging ongoing City Hall support to Pride if he’s re-elected as London’s mayor, Khan said that Pride in London is the “highlight of his year”.

“I’ll always stand up for LGBTQ+ Londoners – whether that’s marching at the front of Pride, supporting LGBTQ+ inclusive education in schools, campaigning for PrEP to be available to all those who need it, or doing all I can to tackle homophobia and transphobia,” Khan said.

The 49-year-old, who’s been the Labour mayor of London since 2016 and before had been the MP for Tooting since 2005, also committed his support to a proposed new LGBTQ+ community centre in London.

“If I win a second term as Labour Mayor, I am also pledging to do everything I can to support the proposals for a new LGBTQ+ community centre in London, which are very exciting indeed,” Sadiq Khan said.

“I am so proud to be the Labour Mayor of the greatest city in the world, a city where you can be whoever you want to be and love whoever you want to love. Rest assured – with me in City Hall, I will always be an ally.”

Khan is the first London mayor to march at the front of London’s Pride parade every year he’s been in office. He said today that if re-elected, he would use his influence on the delivery of Pride to further strengthen its links with community groups, unions, and grassroots organisations.

“The election on May 7 is a two-horse race between me and the Tory candidate. That’s why I’m asking voters who care about LGBTQ+ issues to lend me their vote so I can continue standing up for our city and its values,” Khan said.

Michael Segalov, a journalist who volunteers with the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre, said: “We are so excited that Sadiq Khan has committed to helping us build a much-needed safe, sober, inter-generational LGBTQ+ Community Centre for London.

“Such spaces are an integral part of the landscape in London’s international counterparts, and for too long the capital has been lagging behind.

“Over the past three years, our team has been fundraising, planning, and working closely with the organisations in London which already provide so much for the LGBTQ+ community.

“We welcome Sadiq’s commitment to doing all he can to support our project, and look forward to our continued work with him if he’s re-elected.”

London’s mayoral election will take place on May 7 2020.