# Sadiq Khan
**Sadiq Khan** (born 1970) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as [Mayor of London](https://www.edgepedia.org/mayor-of-london) since May 2016 and is the first Muslim leader of a major Western capital city.[1](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111) He won the mayoralty in 2016, was re-elected in 2021 and again on 2 May 2024, making him the first mayor of London elected to a third term.[2](https://apnews.com/article/74daae2291815622514630a3ee1ca7ab) Before entering city hall he was a human rights solicitor, a [Wandsworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/wandsworth) councillor, and the Member of Parliament for Tooting from 2005, serving as a government minister and becoming the first Muslim and first Asian to attend Cabinet.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current office | Mayor of London, third term beginning May 2024; salary £170,282[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) |
| Early life | Born in London in 1970 to a bus driver and a seamstress who moved from Pakistan in the 1960s; grew up with seven siblings in a three-bedroom public housing apartment in South London[2](https://apnews.com/article/74daae2291815622514630a3ee1ca7ab) • [3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) |
| Parliamentary career | MP for Tooting from 2005; Minister of State for Communities (2008) and later Transport, including Crossrail Minister[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) |
| 2024 election | 1,088,225 votes (44%) against Conservative Susan Hall's 812,397 (33%); turnout 40.5%[4](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10059/) |
| Responsibilities | Leads the Greater London Authority; accountable with the 25-member London Assembly for transport, economic development, policing outside the City of London, civil defense, fire services, planning and the environment[5](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-city-of-london-corporation/lord-mayor/lord-mayor-mayor-of-london) |
| Budget | The GLA's 2024/25 day-to-day budget was £17.5bn, over half of it (£9.6bn) allocated to Transport for London and £4.8bn to policing[6](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london) |
| Public standing | YouGov polling in August 2026 found 42% of Londoners thought he was doing well as mayor and 47% badly[7](https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/55398-where-do-londoners-stand-on-sadiq-khan-after-10-years-as-mayor) |
## Early life and legal career
Khan was born in London in 1970, not long before the [River Thames](https://www.edgepedia.org/river-thames) was declared biologically dead, and grew up in a three-bedroom public housing apartment with seven siblings in [South London](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-london).[2](https://apnews.com/article/74daae2291815622514630a3ee1ca7ab) His parents moved to London from Pakistan in the 1960s.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) He was state-school educated in Tooting and studied Law at the University of North London.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan)
He became a solicitor specializing in human rights and served as a councillor in the [London Borough of Wandsworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-borough-of-wandsworth) from 1994 to 2006.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) In 2005 he was elected MP for Tooting, the area where he grew up, and spent a decade as a Labour lawmaker in the House of Commons.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) • [1](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111) He was appointed Minister of State for Communities in 2008 and later became Minister of State for Transport, also serving as Crossrail Minister; in these roles he became the first Muslim and first Asian to attend Cabinet.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan) In 2013 he was appointed Shadow Minister for London, and in 2015 he led the Labour Party's campaign in London at the general election.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan)
## Elections as Mayor of London
Khan was first elected mayor in May 2016, defeating the Conservative candidate [Zac Goldsmith](https://www.edgepedia.org/zac-goldsmith), and was widely celebrated as a symbol of the city's diversity.[8](https://time.com/6084138/sadiq-khan-plan-for-greener-london/) The 2016 contest was marked by accusations against [Goldsmith](https://www.edgepedia.org/goldsmith) of anti-Muslim prejudice for suggesting that Khan had links to Islamic extremists.[1](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111) He was re-elected in 2021, an election delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, winning 55% of the vote after second preferences were counted.[6](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london)
The 2024 election on 2 May used the first-past-the-post system for the first time, under the Elections Act 2022; previous elections had used the [supplementary vote](https://www.edgepedia.org/supplementary-vote), in which voters could express a first and second preference.[6](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london) Khan received 1,088,225 votes (44%) against 812,397 (33%) for the Conservative Susan Hall, with the Liberal Democrat Rob Blackie third on 145,184 votes, just ahead of the Green Party's Zoë Garbett on 145,114.[4](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10059/) Turnout was 40.5%, marginally down from 40.9% in 2021.[4](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10059/) His third term began in May 2024.[3](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan)
## The role and its powers
The Mayor of London leads the [Greater London Authority](https://www.edgepedia.org/greater-london-authority) (GLA), the strategic authority established in 2000, and is its executive, responsible for transport, policing, fire and rescue, planning and housing.[6](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london) • [9](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/SN05817./) Alongside the 25-member [London Assembly](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-assembly), which scrutinizes his work, Khan is accountable for pan-London issues including transport, economic development, policing outside the [City of London](https://www.edgepedia.org/city-of-london), civil defense and fire services, planning and the environment.[5](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-city-of-london-corporation/lord-mayor/lord-mayor-mayor-of-london) The role is distinct from the Lord Mayor of the City of London, a separately elected annual office head of the City of London Corporation.[5](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-city-of-london-corporation/lord-mayor/lord-mayor-mayor-of-london)
The mayor sets the GLA budget subject to Assembly approval, oversees [Transport for London](https://www.edgepedia.org/transport-for-london) including road user charging schemes such as the [Ultra Low Emission Zone](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultra-low-emission-zone), produces the London Plan spatial development strategy, and can intervene in planning applications of potential strategic importance, a full set of powers held since 2008.[6](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london) • [10](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-powers-for-mayors-in-england/planning-powers-for-mayors-in-england) Revenue raising powers include public transport fares, the central [London congestion charge](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-congestion-charge) and a council tax precept.[5](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-city-of-london-corporation/lord-mayor/lord-mayor-mayor-of-london) The mayor's general powers cannot deliver functions such as education or social services, which remain with London's 33 local authorities.[6](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london)
## Record in office
Khan's mayoralty has emphasized affordable housing, air quality and transport. As mayor he has focused on affordable housing targets, providing a fast-track route for developments exceeding 35% affordable housing (50% on publicly owned land) and repeatedly calling in planning applications from boroughs that do not meet his criteria.[11](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923x.70020) In his first term, housing delivery or affordable housing was almost always the primary reason given when he called in or refused planning applications.[12](https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/Industries/real-estate/research/the-london-mayors-planning-powers.html) He has also pointed to free school meals for all primary school pupils and a freeze on transit fares, while failing to meet ambitious house-building targets.[1](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111) After his 2024 victory he pledged to make the River Thames swimmable.[2](https://apnews.com/article/74daae2291815622514630a3ee1ca7ab)
## Public standing and criticism
Khan has won three consecutive elections, but polling shows divided views of his performance. Ipsos polling in April 2024 found 30% of Londoners thought he had changed the city for the better and 37% for the worse, with 24% seeing no difference.[13](https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/andy-burnham-more-popular-in-manchester-than-sadiq-khan-in-london-or-andy-street-in-west-midlands) YouGov polling in August 2026, marking ten years in office, found 42% of Londoners thought he was doing well and 47% badly, with Londoners divided on transport but negative on crime and housing; residents were most likely to say public transport and air quality had got better under him.[7](https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/55398-where-do-londoners-stand-on-sadiq-khan-after-10-years-as-mayor)
He routinely receives abuse for his faith and race, and has significantly tighter security protection than his predecessors.[1](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111) US President Donald Trump has been among his harshest critics, calling him a "stone cold loser" and claiming he wants to bring Sharia law to London; Khan, a keen amateur boxer, responded in September 2025 that Trump is "racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic."[1](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111) In July 2026, ITV News London reported that Khan, by then Sir Sadiq Khan, would be made a peer as Lord Khan as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer prepared to leave office.[14](https://www.itv.com/news/london/2026-07-16/sir-sadiq-khan-made-a-peer-as-sir-keir-starmer-prepares-to-leave-office)
## References
1. [Zohran Mamdani and London's Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, have much in common, but also key differences, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/918667094240586ee121bff306c8d111)
2. [London, meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Mayor Sadiq Khan wins historic third term, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/74daae2291815622514630a3ee1ca7ab)
3. [Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, London City Hall](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/mayor-and-his-team/sadiq-khan)
4. [London elections 2024, House of Commons Library](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10059/)
5. [The Lady Mayor/Lord Mayor and the Mayor of London, City of London Corporation](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-city-of-london-corporation/lord-mayor/lord-mayor-mayor-of-london)
6. [Mayor of London, Institute for Government](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mayor-london)
7. [Where do Londoners stand on Sadiq Khan after 10 years as mayor?, YouGov](https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/55398-where-do-londoners-stand-on-sadiq-khan-after-10-years-as-mayor)
8. ['We Know How to Bounce Back.' Sadiq Khan Has a Plan to Build a Greener, Fairer London Post-Pandemic, Time](https://time.com/6084138/sadiq-khan-plan-for-greener-london/)
9. [The Greater London Authority, House of Commons Library](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/SN05817./)
10. [Planning powers for mayors in England, GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-powers-for-mayors-in-england/planning-powers-for-mayors-in-england)
11. [Housing, Inequality and London, The Political Quarterly](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923x.70020)
12. [The London Mayor's Planning Powers – Sadiq Khan's First Term, Deloitte UK](https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/Industries/real-estate/research/the-london-mayors-planning-powers.html)
13. [Andy Burnham more popular in Manchester than Sadiq Khan in London or Andy Street in West Midlands, Ipsos](https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/andy-burnham-more-popular-in-manchester-than-sadiq-khan-in-london-or-andy-street-in-west-midlands)
14. [Sir Sadiq Khan to become Lord Khan as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to leave office, ITV News London](https://www.itv.com/news/london/2026-07-16/sir-sadiq-khan-made-a-peer-as-sir-keir-starmer-prepares-to-leave-office)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › British politicians › Devolved and Northern Irish politicians*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 27, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 27, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license