Is Sadiq Khan a good Lord Mayor of London?

There is more knife crime proportionately in Birmingham and other cities. Is Khan to blame for that too?

HousePlantQueen

Primrose53

I can’t bear the man. I agree with woodenspoon above. I have relatives and friends who live in London and none of them think he has done a good job. The quicker he is gone the better. Sean Bailey would have made a much better Mayor.

The same Sean Bailey filmed dancing snd drinking at a party during lockdown?

And Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner - or had you forgotten them?

Primrose53

I can’t bear the man. I agree with woodenspoon above. I have relatives and friends who live in London and none of them think he has done a good job. The quicker he is gone the better. Sean Bailey would have made a much better Mayor.

I read an interview with Sean Bailey in the ST a good few years ago, in which he wrote about his experiences of growing up with a single mother who was pretty tough on him otherwise he may well have gone off the rails. This was on a rough estate in White City where most of the kids around him also didn't have fathers. He could pretty much define how easily it was in that environment to be sucked into a life of crime, indeed many of his peers were, when all the odds were stacked against young black boys like himself right from the outset. Whether he would have made a good mayor or not who knows, but I certainly think he had a pretty good insight into gang culture, I think he could have brought something more to the table on that.

I don't know where in London you live woodenspoon, but I just don't see it in the same way from my corner of it. Labour borough council, Conservative MP, and lots of things aren't brilliant, but I wouldn't live anywhere else.

I think how one views London depends on individual demographics and experiences. My black friend of 50 years, moved out of south east London when her child was in junior school. Having been brought up in that area herself she knew the possible risks to a teenage black boy being sucked into gang life and moved down to rural Hampshire to pre-empt that becoming a possibility. She had a job and the means to be able to do that. Diane Abbott took a different route for her son and placed him in a private school, but for the same reason. Black boys are more likely to be pressurised into that underbelly, their mothers know that and I can understand their rationale in trying to protect their children from those risks. There are certain areas of London that are divided up along different racial demographics. Just because the common denominator in London is its diversity of make up that doesn't necessarily meld all immigrants together sometimes its the complete opposite hence we, like other multi ethnic cities have developed turf wars that spill over on to the streets, making certain areas pretty unsafe. Of course that's a million miles from the parallel universe that exists in the comfortable enclaves of London, where never the twain will meet.

Many don’t vote for him. Others don’t bother to at all. It’s a well known fact that there is voter fraud of some kind or other in Tower Hamlets. That’s just one area.
I’ve also got relatives of various ages, thirties included. All are selling up and moving out. 10 separate families in the past year. We can all quote our individual family stories. A lot of what Primrose says is true. There is a high proportion of ethnics in social housing in the London boroughs and they vote for him. London is like a suburb of another country but it’s not England. Feral youths run amok with guns, knives, pickaxes, anything you can think of. We never had that level of violence before.

Primrose53

I can’t bear the man. I agree with woodenspoon above. I have relatives and friends who live in London and none of them think he has done a good job. The quicker he is gone the better. Sean Bailey would have made a much better Mayor.

The same Sean Bailey filmed dancing snd drinking at a party during lockdown?

I don’t, but I’ve got two nephews and families, and my SiLs brother living there, so I hear what they have to say about it. They are all in their thirties.
Not that it matters, what I’ve said is just factual.

Do you live in London then Casdon?

All of what you say may or not be true but nobody can deny violence and crime has rocketed under him

Does the Mayor have much power? It sounds awful and sad.

Primrose53

Casdon

There is no limit on the number of terms a London Mayor can serve. Since the role was established, Khan has been the only mayor to be elected three times, and in 2024 his majority increased. He is there until 2028 at least, possibly longer if he stands and wins again. Whatever people think about him, he was the most popular choice by some distance - people don’t win three consecutive elections if they are not the best candidate.

Is it any wonder? He is filling London up with people not born in this country! Of course he wants their votes.

GB News did a report the other day about social housing.
It was staggering. In some parts of London up to 76% of people living in social housing are people born in other countries.

In Brent 61% non UK, 19,998 and 50% are unemployed.

Westminster 59.7%

Harringay 59.1%

14 boroughs now have more foreigners than Brits.

Similar in Birmingham and other cities.

He is not personally filling up London with people not born in the UK Primrose, that is a silly thing to say. Many Londoners were also born in the UK regardless of their skin colour. He won because he was deemed by Londoners entitled to vote (ie British citizens) to be the best candidate, so they voted for him.

vegansrock

I’m not sure why non Londoners care. I’m a Londoner and think he’s doing a good job and have voted for him. Public transport is good and the stations have improved. I love the Elizabeth line. Fully support UlEZ too, more cities will follow. No intention of leaving London thanks, would hate to live in the mono cultural sticks.

All of what you say may or not be true but nobody can deny violence and crime has rocketed under him. My view, as a born Londoner is every bit as valid as yours.
I wouldn’t comment on Andy Burnham or Tracy Brabin for example as they don’t affect my life and I’ve never lived in their areas.
Khan did. He has driven me and many others from the area we were born in and where, until he became mayor, most felt safe going into London. No longer. I don’t want to be knifed by some yob for my bag or phone.

I’m not sure why non Londoners care. I’m a Londoner and think he’s doing a good job and have voted for him. Public transport is good and the stations have improved. I love the Elizabeth line. Fully support UlEZ too, more cities will follow. No intention of leaving London thanks, would hate to live in the mono cultural sticks.

Ladyleftfieldlover

From my experience of visiting London and speaking to my three children, who all live there, you’re wrong! I always chat to black cab drivers too (all ethnicity and colour) and they think he’s great. They despised B Johnson.

And I despise Sadiq Khan and I’m an ex Londoner.

Ladyleftfieldlover

From my experience of visiting London and speaking to my three children, who all live there, you’re wrong! I always chat to black cab drivers too (all ethnicity and colour) and they think he’s great. They despised B Johnson.

Lots of people liked Boris. Which is why he did so well.

My friend's daughter lives in London. Didn't bother to vote.

We can all come out with anecdotal evidence 😏

From my experience of visiting London and speaking to my three children, who all live there, you’re wrong! I always chat to black cab drivers too (all ethnicity and colour) and they think he’s great. They despised B Johnson.

Casdon

There is no limit on the number of terms a London Mayor can serve. Since the role was established, Khan has been the only mayor to be elected three times, and in 2024 his majority increased. He is there until 2028 at least, possibly longer if he stands and wins again. Whatever people think about him, he was the most popular choice by some distance - people don’t win three consecutive elections if they are not the best candidate.

Is it any wonder? He is filling London up with people not born in this country! Of course he wants their votes.

GB News did a report the other day about social housing.
It was staggering. In some parts of London up to 76% of people living in social housing are people born in other countries.

In Brent 61% non UK, 19,998 and 50% are unemployed.

Westminster 59.7%

Harringay 59.1%

14 boroughs now have more foreigners than Brits.

Similar in Birmingham and other cities.

He wasn’t the most popular and nor the best candidate. People don’t bother to vote. He is propped up by the ethnic vote. Everybody in London knows that. Which is why so many are moving out. London is like another country.

My advice to anyone still stuck there is to get out of London and find somewhere better to live.

There is no limit on the number of terms a London Mayor can serve. Since the role was established, Khan has been the only mayor to be elected three times, and in 2024 his majority increased. He is there until 2028 at least, possibly longer if he stands and wins again. Whatever people think about him, he was the most popular choice by some distance - people don’t win three consecutive elections if they are not the best candidate.

I can’t bear the man. I agree with woodenspoon above. I have relatives and friends who live in London and none of them think he has done a good job. The quicker he is gone the better. Sean Bailey would have made a much better Mayor.

It’s a pretty tough job yes but others have done it much better. They are also less camera obsessed.

RosieandherMaw

^Clearly feeling a bit salty today Wyllow3^ ?

The term "salty" is commonly used in slang to describe someone who is behaving or expressing themselves in a resentful, bitter, or irritated manner. It's often used to describe someone who is being overly sensitive, defensive, or angry, particularly in response to criticism or perceived slights

Nope, I don’t see this.

Didn't feel that either. A concern that the subject was introduced with a hint that Khan was somehow linked with the Palestine posters and a sense "we've only just done this"

BiL and extended family live in Hackney and are pretty happy with him as a whole. Must be a pretty tough job. Niece is headteacher in an inner city primary.

He would prefer me to ride a bike (I am 81) or use public transport, but it is okay for him to be chauffeur-driven.

I do not know the percentage, but not many people vote for a mayor, and as somebody said, he rarely has competition.

ULEZ was a big mistake and friends of mine lost money.

I am too old to move out of the suburbs now.

Having lived in outer London my entire life, I’ve now moved out and into a rural area. Why? Changed beyond belief. Khan gets voted in because, as others have said, the whole demographic of areas in and around London has changed. He’s not a good mayor. He spends much time jetting about and pushes himself forward into areas which really are nothing to do with him. His knighthood is a joke. London is unsafe and I do not go there ever.