Sadiq Khan’s Ten-Year London Mayoral Tenure

Sadiq Khan was elected mayor of London in May 2016 and marked his tenth anniversary in May 2026. He is the first Muslim mayor and the first to win three consecutive terms. His tenure has spanned Brexit, COVID-19 pandemic, four 2017 terror attacks, the Grenfell Tower fire and four UK prime ministers from David Cameron to Keir Starmer.

The Guardian

Khan describes his voter base as a coalition of Tory remainers, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour supporters. He says his litigation-lawyer background makes him “pugnacious”, but coalition-building secured three mayoral wins. He stresses he serves London, not any party, and criticises Labour leadership for denigrating Green Party.

The Guardian

Khan’s agenda extended the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, planted 640,000 trees and quadrupled cycle network. Electric buses now run across capital, and a 20 mph speed limit is credited with preventing 250 road deaths. In 2023 nitrogen-dioxide fell within legal limits for the first time since 2010, yet PM2.5 remains above WHO guidelines. Experts warn of rising flood, heat-wave and wildfire risks.

The Guardian

Donald Trump has called Khan a “terrible, terrible mayor” and warned that London is being steered toward sharia. Khan has labelled Trump “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic” and says Trump is “obsessed” with him, framing the clash as a conflict between London’s progressive identity and Trump’s nativist rhetoric.

BreitbartThe GuardianElle Magazine

Khan says coalition-building “works” and that extending ULEZ and expanding green infrastructure are central to health. He asserts London’s diversity counters extremist narratives. Trump, speaking at the 2025 UN General Assembly, described Khan as a “disaster” and warned of sharia.

Breitbart

The 2023 ULEZ expansion faced opposition from the Conservative government, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Reform, leaving Khan without party backing. Experts note that while NO2 now meets legal limits, PM2.5 remains above WHO standards, showing incomplete air-quality progress.

The Guardian

Sources agree on the ULEZ extension and the planting of 640,000 trees, but differ on political support: Khan reports no national party backing, while other commentators cite climate cooperation. The NO2 decline contrasts with persistent PM2.5 exceedances, highlighting gaps between policy and health targets.

The Guardian

• “I’m somebody who’s quite pugnacious. I used to be a litigation lawyer, so I’m quite adversarial,” — Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

The Guardian

• “I’m just so proud that we have put environment front and centre,” — Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

The Guardian

• “Maybe he fancies me, I don’t know. President Trump, I’m happily married! I’m not interested,” — Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

Breitbart

• “He’s a horrible mayor. He’s an incompetent mayor, but he’s a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place. I love London. I love London. And I hate to see it happen. You know, my roots are in Europe, as you know,” — Donald Trump, former U.S. President

Breitbart

Khan aims to accelerate waterway clean-up, curb SUV growth and cement London’s role as a green-finance hub while keeping the city a beacon for equality and progressive values.

The Guardian