Labour Party candidate Dr Onkar Sahota will serve as Ealing and Hillingdon’s London Assembly Member for a third term after holding off Conservative candidate Gregory Stafford.

Dr Sahota won the contest with 85,216 votes, beating Stafford by a 8,242 margin. 

The incumbent Labour candidate, who has served Ealing and Hillingdon since 2012, said: “I’m really grateful for the privilege you’ve given me for serving another term at the London Assembly. 

“I also know this has been a very difficult campaign in unprecedented times in very difficult circumstances. And I want to thank all of the electorate who went out and used their vote.

“I want to go back to the London Assembly to hold the Mayor to account, but I hope the Mayor will be Sadiq Khan, and I want to work with him to deliver a greener, a healthier city and a city that is prosperous and forward and recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic to deliver jobs, jobs and jobs for Londoners.

“I think the main challenge for Ealing is to maintain the equality agenda, to build houses that people need but we also need to be mindful of the fact that we also need to build communities, not just high-rise flats.

"I want to make sure that the council is responsible for the needs and hears the voices of the people on LTNs. I want an appraisal on the impact of them and that we do listen to the residents.”

Dr Sahota works part time as a family doctor in west London, and acts as Labour’s spokesperson for health and has been Chair of the London Assembly Health Committee since 2013. 

Ten years ago, Dr Sahota successfully campaigned to keep Ealing hospital open.

He said: “Had it not been open we could not have coped with the Covid-19 crisis in Ealing. I want to make sure our health services are responsive, make sure GP services are responsive, and I want to make sure that the NHS delivers services that my residents require.”

Stafford, who came in at second place with 76,974 votes, was in a bullish mood despite defeat.

Stafford said: “I’m disappointed we weren’t able to win today but I’m really thrilled that Shaun Bailey won on the first preferences of Ealing and Hillingdon. 

"We slashed Labour’s majority in half in the GLA constituency, so I’m really really grateful to everyone in Ealing and Hillingdon who voted for me and for Shaun.

“I think it’s really sent a message to the Labour Party that they’re not safe in Ealing and Hillingdon, that they do need to change their ways.

"If they don’t change their ways on LTNs, high-rise developments especially in Ealing, that they’re going to lose seats at the council next year. 

“I’m very hopeful that Shaun becomes mayor tomorrow evening, I know we’re going to go from strength to strength in Ealing.”

While Labour will retain its London Assembly seat, Conservative mayoral candidate Bailey emerged as the top preference amongst Ealing and Hillingdon voters, receiving the highest portion of votes, at 79,863.

Khan is the second most popular choice among constituents, having gained 74,854.

This year’s turnout was 1% higher at 47%, compared to 46% during the 2016 London Assembly Member election.