London elects Muslim mayor

Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, May 7th, 2016 - 25 comments
Categories: uk politics - Tags: , ,

Interesting news:

Labour’s Sadiq Khan elected mayor of London

Tooting MP becomes first Muslim mayor of an EU capital after beating Tory Zac Goldsmith by 57% to 43%

Sadiq Khan has been elected mayor of London, reclaiming the post for Labour after eight years of Conservative rule and becoming the first Muslim mayor of a major western capital.

Khan took 1,310,143 votes (57%) after second preferences were taken into account, beating Conservative Zac Goldsmith into second place on 994,614 (43%). His tally gave him the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.

The 45-year-old son of a Pakistani bus driver beat Zac Goldsmith at the end of a sometimes bitter campaign during which the Conservatives accused Khan of being “dangerous” and “pandering to extremists”. Labour complained that Goldsmith’s campaign was Islamophobic.

In his victory speech Khan said he was “deeply humbled by the hope and trust” voters placed in him, adding: “I want to thank every single Londoner for making the impossible possible.”

He added: “I’m so proud that Londoners have today chosen hope over fear and unity over division.” …

Congratulations Sadiq Khan, and bravo London.

25 comments on “London elects Muslim mayor ”

  1. Bill 1

    Ran on a ‘Muslim’ ticket did he? What if he’d been a Hindi, a Jew or a Catholic…or a Protestant or a Sikh?

    Pretty sure London elected a Labour Mayor… yes, one who is also Muslim.

    I’m thinking that’s probably noteworthy given the woeful state of affairs across the ‘western world’. But ‘noteworthy’ doesn’t equal elevating an aspect of a politician to a headline that, by being a headline, casts said aspect into the realm of defining characteristic or feature.

    Or maybe I’m having a sensitive Saturday?

    • adam 1.1

      No only labour, but a labour member who hates how the likes of Blair distorted, then almost destroyed the party.

      I thought the headline should have been

      “The left win big in London Mayoral race – making the Tory press looking stupid. Can all the Corbyn critics, please shut up, thanks for your insipid input – but you were wrong, again.”

    • Sabine 1.2

      There shall be, under no circumstance a headline that would proclaim

      ” Labour and the Labour Candidate won. ”

      heads would splode n stuff.

      • AmaKiwi 1.2.1

        The most important campaign issue was housing (NZ Labour and National take note).

        But as in NZ, the power to make radical changes about housing lies almost entirely with parliament. It’s the same there and here: Destroy democracy by destroying local government.

  2. seeker 2

    Good ol’London, turns out the gold pavements once again. What a result, well done brave and fearless Londoner Sadiq Khan.

    I noticed towards the end of the linked Guardian article, that Lynton Crosby’s firm had overseen Goldsmith’s tasteles campaign. Hope this means Crosby’s lost his Midas Touch and is now growing the asses ears which would so reflect, in my opinion his true personality (as indeed the jack ass personalties of all tories who have used him and Textor to spin them to power….. to our cost.)
    http://greece.mrdonn.org/greekgods/kingmidas2.html

  3. whateva next? 3

    Beautiful, beautiful words:
    “He added: “I’m so proud that Londoners have today chosen hope over fear and unity over division.” …”

    and yes, Seeker, reassuring to see Goldsmith’s crass campaign was another C/T failure (Cananda), got his knighthood just in time

  4. Ad 4

    What’s his platform?

    What’s his political background and track record?

  5. Macro 5

    Zac Goldsmith was in the past a halfway descent Tory one of the few who understood AGW and environmental issues having been Editor in Chief and Director of the scientific journal The Ecologist.
    Sad to see that his association with Crosby/Textor who must now been seen as the most toxic of people. Their slime obviously oozes everywhere.

  6. whateva next? 6

    Just the best news, a decent man with integrity elected to power…gets the ball rolling

  7. What a choice – someone who’ll maintain Tory standards of governance, or someone who might introduce Pakistani standards of governance. I guess if I was a voter I’d go with Khan – at least with him there’s a “might” in there.

    • seeker 7.1

      Hi PsychoM
      Read Sadiq’s manifesto on Ad’s comment 9.
      He is a Londoner, simple as that, just not a tory londoner.

  8. swordfish 8

    Comparative Map of how London voted 2012 / 2016
    http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/4418/production/_89623471_london_past_present_608_1248_1952-02.png

    Khan sweeps north London and makes inroads south of the Thames too.

  9. Ad 9

    Khan’s manifesto is here:

    http://www.sadiq.london

    if he does the housing section well he will be remembered.

    • AmaKiwi 9.1

      See my comment 1.2.1 above.

      Only parliament has the power to make the significant policy changes required.

      • Ad 9.1.1

        No, they have a far more empowered Mayor than here.
        He’s got plenty of power to exercise for good.

  10. Kropotkin 10

    It was revealing watching RT News (Sky Channel 92) reporting Khan’s victory. There was a “discussion” between the news reader, an English Muslim commentator and a representative of a right wing group, the English Democrats. The latter described the result as “London’s worst day since the Blitz”. He was extremely angry about the result and could not see how a Muslim had won. When he was finally persuaded to desist from yelling over the Muslim commentator, the latter calmly pointed out that, in his opinion, the electorate had been attracted by Labour’s policies – the candidate’s religion was of little relevance.

  11. Bollocks,

    Rotterdam is the biggest European harbor and a huge city and has happily had a dual citizen Moroccan Muslim mayor! He is Muslim, Labor party, has been a state secretary and was appointed in 2008. He is also an accomplished poet and translates poetry from Arab to Dutch. He spoke on the 4th of May which is WWII commemoration day and is a respected member of Dutch society.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Aboutaleb

    What is interesting is that London picked a Muslim from humble beginnings over a Jewish Tory banker married to a Rothschild.

    Maybe people are getting sick of the Anti-Semite manipulation Schtick!

    • Te Reo Putake 11.1

      Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, not Rotterdam. Hup Ajax!

  12. The Muslim Brotherhood will be in raptures. One of Christendom’s biggest players is meeting the requirements of The Project’s Fourth Point of Departure, a – Elements: “To invite everyone to take part in parliament, municipal councils, labour unions and other institutions of which the membership is chosen by the people in the interest of Islam and of Muslims.”

    The Islamisation of the West is on target, Europe’s conquest is a fait accompli and the glories of Islam will be visited on infidel nations. It will soon share the same level of civilisation as the Middle East and North Africa.

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