Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London

Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London

Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London

The Labour Party continued its winning streak in most of the local elections, seen as reflective of the electorate’s mood ahead of a general election expected later this year.

 

Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party’s mayor of London, romped to victory Saturday, securing a record third straight term at City Hall, on another hugely disappointing day for the U.K.’s governing Conservatives ahead of a looming general election.

Khan won a little over a million votes, or nearly 44% of the vote, more than 11 percentage points ahead of his main challenger, the Conservative Party’s Susan Hall. He did particularly well in inner London but struggled in several outer boroughs.

Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London
ncumbent Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan, (2nd R) reacts after winning an historic third term in office, beating the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall (L), Lib Dem candidate Rob Blackie (2nd L) and independent candidate Natalie Campbell (R) in the London mayoral election at City Hall on May 4, 2024 in London, England. Incumbent Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan, received 1,088,000 votes, a majority of 275,000 over Conservative candidate, Susan Hall.

There had been frenzied speculation on Friday that the result would be closer than previously thought, but Khan’s lead showed a swing from Conservative to Labour when compared with the previous mayoral election in 2021.

Mr. Khan, from the main opposition Labour Party, was initially elected to the post in 2016, becoming London’s first Muslim mayor, and is now the first politician to win three consecutive terms since the role was created in 2000.

While his supporters say he has multiple achievements to his name, such as expanding housebuilding, free school meals for young children, keeping transport costs in check and generally backing London’s minority groups, his critics say he has overseen a crime surge, been anti-car and has unnecessarily allowed pro-Palestinian marches to become a regular feature at weekends.

Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London
Mayor Sadiq Khan of London and his supporters in the British capital on Wednesday.

Mr. Khan was on the receiving end of a more directly anti-Muslim attack from Lee Anderson, a lawmaker who was suspended from the Conservative parliamentary party after he claimed that Islamists had control of London because Mr. Khan had “given our capital city away to his mates.”

Mr. Anderson admitted his remarks were a “little bit clumsy” but refused to apologize, and he later joined Reform U.K., a small right-wing party.

Thursday’s elections in large parts of England were important in themselves, with voters deciding on who runs many aspects of their daily lives, such as garbage collection, road maintenance and local crime prevention. But with a national election looming, they are being viewed through a national prism.

Continue reading at: CBS News

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