Labour’s Sadiq Khan Elected London Mayor

Posted by African Examiner Europe, World News Saturday, May 7th, 2016

LONDON – Sadiq Khan has been elected the new Mayor of London – boosting Labour after it slumped in Scotland’s elections.

Mr Khan is the city’s first Muslim mayor, after beating Tory Zac Goldsmith by 1, 310,143 votes to 994,614.

Mr Khan’s victory ends eight years of Conservative control of City Hall. The former Labour MP and minister, 45, becomes London’s third mayor after Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson.

In his victory speech, Mr Khan referred to his humble origins on a council estate and said he had never imagined that “someone like me could be elected as mayor of London,” promising to be a mayor “for all Londoners”.

He said the campaign had not been without controversy, but added: “I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear”.

He added that the “politics of fear is not welcome in our city”.

Mr Khan took 1,310,143 votes after second preferences were taken into account, beating Conservative Zac Goldsmith into second place on 994,614, a margin of victory of 13.6%. His tally gave him the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.

BBC