London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, expresses deep gratitude for his knighthood after winning a historic third term in office
London: Sadiq Khan just got knighted in the New Year Honours list after winning a record third term as the city’s mayor. He’s pretty chuffed about it, saying he feels “truly humbled.”
Growing up on a council estate in south London, he never imagined he’d be in this position. He’s all about making London a fairer and greener place for everyone.
Born in Tooting, he started as a human rights lawyer before jumping into politics. He became the MP for his hometown in 2005 and later took over as mayor in 2016, making history as the first Muslim mayor of a major western city.
His time in office hasn’t been without drama. There’s been a petition against his knighthood with over 200,000 signatures. Plus, his plans for a greener London, like the Ulez expansion, have stirred up quite a bit of debate.
Some folks have even vandalized Ulez cameras, and protests have popped up around the city. But he’s determined to clean up the Thames and make it swimmable in the next decade.
He’s also faced some heat over crime rates, especially knife crime, and has had some back-and-forths with the Conservative government about police funding.
His global profile got a boost from his ongoing feud with Donald Trump. They’ve been trading barbs since Trump’s first term, especially when it comes to issues like democracy and women’s rights.
In May, he made history again by winning a third term with a solid majority over his Conservative rival. It’s been quite a journey for him, and he’s not done yet!