Sir Sadiq Khan has come under fire after being handed a peerage despite previously calling for the House of Lords to be abolished. The Labour London Mayor called for the upper chamber to be scrapped in 2022 but is now set to take his seat on the red benches after being made a peer by outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Reform UK Candidate Slams Khan
Reform UK's London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham said: "Sadiq Khan wanted the House of Lords abolished. Now he’ll happily take a seat there as Lord Khan. What changed? Your principles, or your title? Isn’t being Mayor of London enough of a title for you? And will you now resign?"
Social Media Criticism
Chris Rose, a political commentator, posted on X: "Hi @SadiqKhan You previously said that the House of Lords should be abolished. You’ve accepted Keir Starmer’s peerage offer. Shouldn’t you have declined it? Looks unashamedly hypocritical." The post has garnered significant attention.
Political Appointments
Sir Sadiq is among 16 new political appointments made by the Prime Minister as he prepares to leave office. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has made five nominations, and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has made three.
Conservative Criticism
The Conservatives also hit out at Sir Sadiq's peerage. Shadow Minister for London Gareth Bacon said: "Sadiq Khan has been a disastrous Mayor of London. Under his watch, housebuilding has collapsed to levels not seen since the Second World War. He has almost doubled his share of Council tax, he hammered motorists with ULEZ expansion and repeated Congestion Charge increases, all the while allowing Londoners to endure hundreds of days of TfL strikes. Rewarding this record of abysmal failure will come as a slap in the face to every Londoner and it speaks volumes about a Labour Party that rewards cronyism. Sadiq Khan has done nothing to earn a place in the Lords."
Government Response
A Government source said: "Sadiq has been a brilliant mayor who has transformed London for the better, so this is thoroughly deserved. He has cut violent crime to record lows, cleaned up the capital’s air, delivered the Elizabeth Line and got London building council homes again."
Khan's Spokesperson Defends Peerage
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said his job in City Hall "continues to be the privilege of Sadiq’s life" and he will devote his time to "standing up for our city and building a fairer, safer and greener London for everyone." They added: "Sadiq is honoured to be given a peerage. London gave Sadiq the opportunities to go from a council estate to being mayor of London, and his focus will continue to be ensuring that all Londoners get the same shot at reaching their full potential that London gave him and his family."
