Sadiq Khan, the First Muslim Mayor of London, Receives Noble Title

London, MINA – London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has served for three terms, was awarded a noble title in the 2025 New Year Honours list.

Khan emphasized that he is “truly humbled” by the recognition, which has sparked sharp criticism from right-wing figures, including politicians from the Reform and Conservative parties, The New Arab reported.

In a post on X, Khan stated that he “never dreamed, growing up in council housing in South London, that one day I would become Mayor of London.”

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy congratulated Khan, celebrating the achievement as a testament to the diversity of the UK.

“I am proud that the UK is a place where you can go from being the son of a bus driver to a knight of the realm,” said Lammy about the London mayor.

Khan became the first Muslim mayor of a major Western city when he was elected in 2016. His policies, such as the ultra-low emission zone and efforts to combat knife crime, have received criticism from the right, leading some to condemn his noble title.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called the award “a reward for failure,” citing rising knife crime, unmet housing targets, and increased council taxes during Khan’s tenure.

A petition launched by Conservative councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman against Khan’s noble title has gathered more than 200,000 signatures since December 5.

Following this backlash, many used social media to accuse the critics of harboring underlying bias against Khan.

On the social media platform X, British journalist Ally Fogg wrote, “Sadiq Khan is and always has been a competent, centrist manager who hasn’t done anything extraordinary (let alone radical) in his long tenure, and the right-wing’s success in portraying him as a mad Islamist who has destroyed London is both extraordinary and revealing.”

Other users questioned the difference in reactions to Khan’s noble title compared to Andy Street, the former Conservative Mayor of West Midlands.

“Right-wing thugs will boil with feigned anger over one but not the other. I wonder why,” they wrote.

Khan secured his historic third term as mayor in May, defeating Conservative candidate Susan Hall. Before entering politics, he worked as a human rights lawyer and was elected to Parliament for Tooting in 2005.

As Shadow Justice Secretary under Ed Miliband’s leadership, he gained national attention. His global profile rose further due to his feud with Donald Trump during the former US president’s first term, with the two frequently clashing over policy and rhetoric. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)