Thank you, Gloria, for that great introduction.
It's brilliant to hear that you're back at work after being furloughed.
It's a great sign that London's recovery has started - and I'm
in no doubt that you'll have a fantastic future ahead when this great city reopens.
Thank you, Adrian, for that brilliant speech.
I absolutely agree with you that London's arts and culture is what helps to make this
the greatest city in the world.
After an extremely difficult time for the arts and creative
sectors I look forward to our theatres and cultural venues opening up once again.
And I know we're all waiting to get the chance
to see Adrian treading the boards once more very soon.
I also want to thank Margaret - and everyone at the Globe - for allowing us
to make history by holding this signing-in ceremony at this iconic London location.
And looking around, wow, it's a privilege to do this here and it's something I'll never forget.
I stand here today truly humbled by the trust that Londoners have placed in me to serve a second term
as Mayor. I promise to do my utmost to repay the trust by working faithfully and tirelessly
over the next three years to stand up for London and to deliver on the pledges I've made.
A lot has changed since the last time I signed-in as Mayor five years ago.
But the common thread that will continue to run through everything
I do as Mayor will be my commitment to a fairer, more equal, more prosperous city for all Londoners
irrespective of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or background.
I'll never, ever forget that London gave me the opportunities to go from a council estate
to being Mayor of the greatest city in the world. And rather than being
diminished, my desire to ensure that all Londoners get that same shot
at reaching their full potential burns stronger than ever today.
It's fitting that we're here at the Globe today. Because the history of this iconic place is a tale
of resilience and renewal. During Shakespeare's time, the original theatre had to close for long
periods often to prevent the spread of the plague. But London's theatres always opened their doors
and stages again and they always went on to bigger and better things just like today's
Globe will do this summer. And this speaks to the times
throughout our city's rich history when Londoners have had to reassess, renew
and rebuild a better London following disaster and devastation whether from fires, pandemic or war.
Now it's our generation's turn to take on that challenge. Not only to ensure that we bounce back
as quickly as possible, but that as we do so we shape a fairer, greener, more united city for all Londoners.
This is my mission: to put the dark days of the past year behind us. And to deliver
a better and brighter future for everyone who calls this amazing, diverse city home.
And there's no time to waste. That's why the work begins anew today to reignite
our city - and to kick-start our economy as London continues to open up. As promised,
this means making jobs, jobs, jobs a top priority in everything we do and putting young Londoners
at the heart of our recovery. It means backing our businesses, both large and small,
to help them not just to survive, but to thrive. And it means banging the drum for London
to attract the jobs, tourism and investment our city needs. To this end,
I'm excited to announce today that we're launching the biggest domestic tourism campaign that London
has ever seen. We're calling it - Let's Do London. It's a call to action. It's a message
to Londoners - and people across the country - that our capital city stands ready to entertain,
inspire and enthral once again. And it's a chance for us to champion our businesses, cultural
institutions and attractions that have suffered so dearly during the pandemic. The year-long campaign
will bring together London's leading hospitality, cultural and retail organisations to entice people
back into the heart of our city where they can experience the magic of London. It will include
London's famous chefs and restaurants coming together to promote and celebrate our world-class
cuisine. Exciting new public art installations to attract people into central London. New events
at famous tourist attractions. Outdoor film screenings. Late-night openings of museums,
galleries and cultural venues. The return of major creative festivals like the London Fashion Week
and much, much more. This huge campaign will be a great opportunity to remind everyone what
makes London so special. And will help us get the buzz back in our city that we've all so
sorely missed. As well as this unflinching focus on the urgent task of our recovery,
I promise to also continue to work - day and night - to tackle the long-standing issues that matter
most to Londoners: safer streets. More affordable housing. More support for young Londoners. And
action to tackle the twin emergencies of air pollution and climate change. On crime
we'll continue to be both tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. This includes
putting even more police officers on the streets at the same time as investing record amounts in
new opportunities for young Londoners. When it comes to housing we'll continue
to build the genuinely affordable homes Londoners desperately want and deserve. And on air pollution
and the climate emergency, we'll take the bold action that's required - for the sake
of our children and our children's children. The path to becoming a cleaner, greener and more
sustainable city is not always going to be easy. There'll be resistance from some quarters. But I'm
prepared for that. It won't dampen my resolve, lower our ambitions or slow our pace. Instead,
London will press on and spearhead the transition to a greener economy and a healthier city.
So watch this space: because I promise to lead from the front on this issue
crafting the bold blueprint for what's possible in a global city like ours.
Lastly, I want to touch on something I said in my acceptance speech about the importance of unity.
The election results around the UK clearly showed that our country and even our city remain deeply
divided. So I pledge to use this second term to do everything I can
to build the bridges that bring us closer together - rather than the walls that drive us apart.
Because as we recover and rebuild from this pandemic, we simply must use
this moment of national recovery to strive for a moment of national healing too. So I'll work
to strengthen the bonds that hold together our truly diverse city. I'll focus on what unites us
and our shared hopes and dreams for the future, rather than what divides us. And
I'll reach out to the Government so that we can work constructively for the benefit of London
and the whole country. Let me finish with this: we know we've got our work cut out. But I return
to City Hall more optimistic and ambitious than ever before. More determined
to live up to the trust you've placed in me. More motivated than ever to rebuild our city
as a greener, safer and more prosperous place to live. A place that's not weakened by inequality or
division, but strengthened by our diversity, our unity and our sense of common purpose.