Who is Sadiq Khan? Londoners Elect First Muslim Mayor
Londoners cast their votes and the person they elected to lead their city is Labour Party candidate, Sadiq Aman Khan. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Khan has been elected the new mayor of London. Known as the city's first Muslim mayor, Khan won against his rival, Conservative candidate Tory Zac Goldsmith, by 1, 310,143 votes to 994,614. It's also made known that he received 1,310,143 votes, higher than for any previous London Mayor.
"This election has not been without controversy. I am so proud that London has chosen hope over fear and unity over division. I hope we will never be offered such a stark choice again," Khan stated in a speech after the results were announced midnight.
Khan has promoted himself throughout the campaign days as the "Mayor for all Londoners." It was also during this time that he was able to share more of his humble beginnings. As detailed in BBC News, the new mayor is the fifth of eight children of Pakistani immigrants, Amanullah and Sehrun Khan. His late father was a bus driver for 25 years while his mother worked as a seamstress. He grew up in a housing estate in Tooting, South London before leaving home in his 20s.
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For his educational background, Khan entered Fircroft Primary School and Ernest Bevin College. He studied math and science at A-level with the hope of entering dentistry soon. However, he had a change of heart after a teacher told him to study law as he was "always arguing." With that encouragement and inspiration from TV show "LA Law," Khan entered University of North London to pursue his dream.
Khan's first real job after law school was a solicitor at Christian Fisher under the human rights lawyer Louise Christian. After three years, Khan became an equity partner with the firm, renaming it as Christian Khan.
Eventually, Khan, who is married to Saadiya Ahmed and has two daughters, walked a political path as a career starting off as a councilor. He also became Minister of State for Communities, Minister of State for Transport, Shadow Secretary for Transport and Shadow Minister for London before becoming now as the mayor of London.
