The new “Sir” Sadiq Khan received his knighthood at Buckingham Palace today despite ongoing backlash and a considerable petition with over 220,000 signatures to stop it.
The London Mayor was first elected to the position in 2016 and has since become the only London mayor to win a third term. His fruitful political career includes his previous position as a Labour MP for Tooting. Whilst some praise his achievements including freezing fares and ensure all state primary school pupils in London receive Free School Meals, several Conservative politicians did not hesitate to share their growing discontent with Khan. One such politician was Shadow home secretary and Croydon MP Chris Phillp, who stated:
“Two days ago, volunteers had to take matters into their own hands and clean graffiti off tube carriages because Sadiq Khan was failing to act…
Today the Mayor received his knighthood. This is a slap in the face to Londoners who have faced a council tax hike of over 70 per cent, a surge in knife crime and an increase in red tape stifling bars and restaurants on his watch…
At the same time, the Mayor seems more interested in trying to decriminalise cannabis than making London a better place to live.
Sadiq Khan's knighthood is a reward for failure”.
According to Khan, King Charles was nonetheless 'chuffed' to give him the award. The former Labour MP added that he and the King also discussed which of them is “a bigger workaholic” during the ceremony. Khan stated:
"I have got the pleasure of working closely with the King…
He was very chuffed that he managed to personally give me this honour and he actually apologised for it taking so long - which is not a problem at all".
Sir Sadiq, a second-generation immigrant, said: "My mum's here, and she's been emotional since it was announced on January 1, and today's just a great day for the family. On a recent social media post, the 54-year-old British ‘knight’ of Pakistani descent, shared to his followers:
“The London promise: if you work hard, and get a helping hand, you can achieve anything.
Immensely proud to receive a knighthood from His Majesty The King today. Growing up on a council estate in Tooting, I never could have imagined that l'd one day receive this great honour while serving as the Mayor of London.
It's a truly humbling moment for myself and my family, and one that I hope inspires others to believe in the incredible opportunities that our great capital offers.
I'll forever be honoured to serve the city that I love - and will continue to do all I can to build a fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone.”
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