After winning a record-breaking third term as mayor of London, Sadiq Khan was named a knight in the New Year's Honours list.
To be given the honor, Sir Sadiq said he was "truly humbled."
"Growing up on a council estate in south London, I never would have imagined that I would become mayor of London," he added.
“It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love and I will continue to build the fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London that all of the capital’s communities deserve.”
However the honour has sparked some controversy, with shadow home secretary Chris Philp calling it "a reward for failure", citing levels of knife crime in the city, and missed housing targets.
A petition started by a Conservative councillor opposing his knighthood has had more than 200,000 signatures since December 5.
The Tooting-born son of a bus driver worked as a human rights lawyer before entering Parliament as MP for his home town in 2005, serving as a junior minister under Gordon Brown and then as shadow justice secretary under Ed Miliband.
In 2016, he defeated Conservative Zac Goldsmith to succeed Boris Johnson as mayor of London, becoming the first Muslim mayor of a major western city and going on to win two further terms.
“It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love and I will continue to build the fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London that all of the capital’s communities deserve.”
However the honour has sparked some controversy, with shadow home secretary Chris Philp calling it "a reward for failure", citing levels of knife crime in the city, and missed housing targets.
A petition started by a Conservative councillor opposing his knighthood has had more than 200,000 signatures since December 5.
The Tooting-born son of a bus driver worked as a human rights lawyer before entering Parliament as MP for his home town in 2005, serving as a junior minister under Gordon Brown and then as shadow justice secretary under Ed Miliband.
In 2016, he defeated Conservative Zac Goldsmith to succeed Boris Johnson as mayor of London, becoming the first Muslim mayor of a major western city and going on to win two further terms.
Sir Sadiq has taken a firm stance on making London a greener and less polluted place to live, and his ultra low emission zone (Ulez) expansion has split opinion.
Vandals have damaged Ulez cameras and signage, while protesters have gathered in the city on several occasions.
He has also pledged to clean up the Thames, planning to make it swimmable within 10 years.
Sir Sadiq has faced scrutiny over his record on law and order, having regularly clashed with the Conservative government, criticising ministers over police funding and for failing to promptly ban zombie knives.
Sir Sadiq has taken a firm stance on making London a greener and less polluted place to live, and his ultra low emission zone (Ulez) expansion has split opinion.
Vandals have damaged Ulez cameras and signage, while protesters have gathered in the city on several occasions.
He has also pledged to clean up the Thames, planning to make it swimmable within 10 years.
Sir Sadiq has faced scrutiny over his record on law and order, having regularly clashed with the Conservative government, criticising ministers over police funding and for failing to promptly ban zombie knives.
But he was accused of not taking knife crime "seriously" earlier this year by then cabinet minister Kemi Badenoch.
Sir Sadiq has worked on improving London’s transport as mayor, introducing names and colours for London Overground railway lines in November.
A high-profile feud with Donald Trump, dating back to the US president-elect’s first term in the White House, boosted his global profile.
After Mr Trump claimed victory over Kamala Harris earlier this year, Sir Sadiq said “many Londoners will be anxious” and “fearful about what it will mean for democracy and for women's rights”.
The spat dates back to at least 2015 when Sir Sadiq condemned the then presidential hopeful’s suggestion that Muslims should be banned from travelling to the US.
In 2018, Sir Sadiq's office gave permission for an inflatable depicting Mr Trump as a baby to fly in Parliament Square as the US president visited the UK.
In June 2019, during Mr Trump’s official state visit, the president reignited the row before even setting foot on British soil.
Moments before he stepped off the plane, the president tweeted that Sir Sadiq had “done a terrible job as Mayor of London” and was “a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me”.
Sir Sadiq responded: “I’m not 12 years old in a playground, I’m just surprised Donald Trump thinks he is.”
In May, Sir Sadiq became the first person to win a third term as London mayor, with a majority of 275,000 over Conservative rival Susan Hall.
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