LONDON (AP) — Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic have hit London in a perfect storm. In 2021, the city has fewer people, fewer businesses, starker divisions and tougher choices than anyone could have expected. On May 6, Londoners will elect a mayor, whose performance will help determine whether this is a period of decline for Europe’s biggest city — or a chance to do things better. Mayor Sadiq Khan of the Labour Party, who is favored to win re-election, says his top priority is preserving jobs threatened by the economic blow of the pandemic. Rival Shaun Bailey of the Conservatives says his top priority is reducing crime. Whoever wins will face the challenge of leading London’s fight back from its biggest shock for generations.
