December 30th 2024.
Sadiq Khan has made history by becoming the first person to be elected to three terms as London mayor. His success has not gone unnoticed, as he has been recently honored with a knighthood in the New Year Honours list. This news, however, sparked controversy as over 200,000 people signed a petition against it.
But despite the backlash, Sadiq Khan's achievements have been recognized and he joins a handful of other politicians who have received top honors before the new year. Among them are Emily Thornberry MP, who has been made a dame, and Andy Street, who has been knighted despite recently losing his re-election as West Midlands Mayor.
The knighthood for Sir Sadiq, for his political and public service, has caused quite a stir in the media. Conservative London councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman even started a petition on Change.org to "stop" the knighthood from happening. Sadiq Khan has been a frequent target for right-wing politicians, who criticize his anti-pollution measures and perceived lack of success in tackling knife crime. He also gained international attention through his clashes with former US President Donald Trump, which began in 2015 when Trump called for a ban on Muslims entering the US.
Sir Sadiq's recent expansion of London's ultra-low emission zone has also faced significant backlash. But despite the challenges, Sir Sadiq has remained a strong and determined leader. Born in Tooting, he made history by becoming the first Muslim mayor of a major western city when he was elected in 2016. And now, he has become the first person to be elected to a third term as Mayor of London, after defeating Susan Hall in the May elections.
Before entering politics, Sir Sadiq worked as a human rights lawyer and was elected as MP for Tooting in 2005. He also served as shadow justice secretary when Ed Miliband was Labour leader. In response to his knighthood, Sir Sadiq said, "I couldn't have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I would one day be mayor of London. It's the honor of my life to serve the city I love and I will continue to build a fairer, safer, greener, and more prosperous London for all of its communities."
Joining Sir Sadiq in receiving honors are notable figures such as actor and comedian Stephen Fry and ex-England football manager Gareth Southgate, who have also been knighted. But amidst the list of well-known names, there are also unsung heroes who have been recognized for their contributions. Campaigner Jo Hamilton, along with three other victims of the Horizon IT scandal, have been made OBEs for their services to justice.
These individuals were among hundreds of sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted of fraud, theft, and false accounting over a period of more than a decade. Lee Castleton, who was portrayed by Will Mellor in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office, said he was "very honored and proud" to receive the award. However, he also expressed his disappointment in the prolonged and protracted nature of the scandal, saying, "It would be nice to just draw a line under everything with something like this – but onwards and upwards."
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
