The mayoral election is drawing to a close. It has been a lively contest which has enabled Londoners to take stock not just of the merits of the candidates but the issues that matter to the city. The fundamental concerns for the mayor must be housing, transport, crime — and clean air. The candidates from smaller parties have campaigned vigorously but for all their efforts the choice is now between the front-runners: Zac Goldsmith for the Tories and Sadiq Khan for Labour.

These men have different personalities and strengths and while they lack the charisma of Boris Johnson, both are public-spirited and intelligent individuals with sensible views on most of the big issues. Indeed, there are significant areas of agreement between them, as there should be. Sadiq Khan has fought the stronger and more combative campaign, but over the past few weeks Zac Goldsmith has come into his own, and emerged as a candidate with interesting and thoughtful views. The crisis within the Labour Party and Ken Livingstone’s fall from grace means Mr Khan is effectively running as an independent. By contrast, Mr Goldsmith has the weight of the party of government behind him.

This paper has done its best to be even-handed over the course of this campaign and to do justice to all the candidates. Sadiq Khan has fought ably and well. He has sought to draw a coherent distinction between himself and his party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. He has dealt creditably with questions about his perceived association with extremists by emphasising his commitment to deal robustly with those who seek to harm us. Indeed, it is to his advantage that he is Muslim: a London Muslim mayor would signify that this is a unified and cohesive city.

There is quite rightly consensus between Mr Khan and Mr Goldsmith on increasing housing, improving transport by securing Crossrail 2 and keeping London safe. Underlying all these is the challenge of a growing population. London is a enormously successful city with a strong economy that attracts people from all over the world.

But the growth in numbers — by at least a million people a decade — brings strains on public services, on housing stock and transport. Inevitably London has become more congested. Quite how we deal with this problem is the biggest issue for the next mayor.

Green spaces

On one key issue Zac Goldsmith has shown himself to be the stronger candidate. He has a vision of how London can grow in such a way as to be a green and beautiful city as well as a big and prosperous one.

He, like Mr Khan, accepts that we must build many more houses, especially affordable ones — Mr Khan’s emphasis on renters is salutary. But Mr Goldsmith has also given thought to the question of how the housing stock is to grow in a way that will not diminish our quality of life. He has said that housing should be medium-rise rather than tall; he is likely to take a robust approach to developers promoting poorly conceived high-rise developments. There will be many more homes built whoever is mayor, but with Mr Goldsmith it would be in the context of a coherent aesthetic.

Pollution is a serious problem, and the fact is that Mr Goldsmith’s commitment to the issue is of long standing. Today he promises to be London’s greenest mayor, if elected. One way to cope with an increasing population is to expand the green and natural spaces in the city; in this context, Mr Goldsmith’s promise that all will have access to green space is crucial.

Mr Goldsmith is not a combative politician and his wealthy background is a problem for some voters, but his vision for the future of London as a safe, beautiful and harmonious city is an attractive one. Of the two strong candidates, he has more compelling ideas on tackling pollution and congestion. That is why we support him. Now our readers must make up their own minds.