Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London
London (PTI): Sadiq Khan on Saturday registered a decisive victory to secure a record third term as Mayor of London, as the local election results from England and Wales continued to reflect a strong swing in favour of the Opposition Labour Party.
The 53-year-old Pakistani-origin Labour candidate secured a massive 10,88,225 votes with a 43.8 per cent vote share, well ahead of the Conservative candidate Susan Hall’s 8,12,397 votes – an impressive majority of over 2,75,000.
Delhi-born businessman Tarun Ghulati, contesting as an independent candidate among a total 13 mayoral candidates, secured 24,702 votes and came in tenth in the overall tally.
“I am beyond humbled right now and express my deep gratitude to my fellow Londoners, and make this pledge to you: I promise to repay the trust you’ve placed in me by working tirelessly to deliver the fairer, safer and greener, London you deserve,” said Khan in his acceptance speech from the London mayoral headquarters of City Hall.
“It’s been a difficult few months, we faced a campaign of non-stop negativity, but I couldn’t be more proud that we answered fear mongering with facts, hate with hope, and attempts to divide with efforts to unite. We ran a campaign that was in keeping with the spirit and values of this great city, a city that regards our diversity, not as a weakness, but an almighty strength,” he said, taking aim at some of the rhetoric from the Opposition.
“It is truly an honour to be elected for a third term and to do so with record levels of support from Londoners, with an increased margin of victory. But today’s not about making history, it’s about shaping our future,” he added.
Earlier, Khan’s own camp and the BBC had already called the election in favour of Khan as borough-wise results poured in for the UK capital to show that he was on course to beat his nearest Conservative Party rival, Susan Hall, with a strong voter swing in favour of Labour.
Significantly, the UK capital’s Muslim population did not seem to have punished the Labour Mayor for his party’s failure to strongly condemn Israel over the Gaza conflict in the same way as other parts of the country had. Some of Khan’s controversial policies, such as the high costs on drivers of vehicles falling under the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) tariff bracket as part of his anti-pollution drive for London, also did not result in a major dent in his overall popularity.
“Sadiq Khan was absolutely the right candidate. He has got two terms of delivery behind him and I am confident that he has got another term of delivery in front of him,” said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer just before the results were declared.
The role of London Mayor represents the 8.9 million people living across the capital and has a budget of GBP 20.4 billion and is responsible for Transport for London (TfL) and has some control over roads, policing and housing in the city. Londoners also went to the polls on Thursday to vote for one of 14 local representatives on the London Assembly and 11 London wide Assembly members who hold the Mayor of London accountable.
The Labour Party continued its winning streak in most of the local elections, seen as reflective of the electorate’s mood ahead of a general election expected later this year. Popular Labour incumbent Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham was re-elected with 63 per cent of the vote, who committed to get right back to work to see through his transport reforms and called for more powers over welfare and housing.
“I am ready to fight harder than I have ever fought for anything before, for a Greater Manchester where people can live free from the fear of debt, hunger and eviction, and where everyone is set up to benefit from the growing success of our city region today,” said Burnham in his victory speech.
Earlier, the party won the Liverpool City Region and South Yorkshire mayoral races, the North East mayoralty, as well as the brand-new mayoralty of East Midlands.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was handed a glimmer of hope on Friday with Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen retaining the seat for the Conservatives, will be hoping Birmingham’s Tory Mayor Andy Street is able to win a contest that has been on a knife-edge between the Conservatives and Labour – with a recount ordered due to the results being too close to call.
However, any immediate manoeuvres by the Tory rebels to try and challenge Sunak’s leadership seems to have been averted for the moment as there isn’t much appetite for another upheaval in the party ranks.
An analysis of the local election results by BBC’s polling expert Professor John Curtice suggests that Labour is now in pole position to win the general election, with the local elections extrapolated to a national level giving the Opposition a comfortable lead.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIMPLB warns of protests, legal battle over Waqf Amendment Bill
Bengaluru: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Monday addressed a press conference following the conclusion of its national convention in Bengaluru. The Board raised concerns over several pressing national and international issues, including the Waqf Amendment Bill, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and recent controversies surrounding places of worship in the country. The Board also spoke about the ongoing conflict in Gaza, terming it a "genocide."
Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, spokesperson for the AIMPLB, strongly opposed the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, warning the government of protests and legal challenges if the bill is passed without thorough consultation with all stakeholders.
"Waqf properties are donated specifically for the benefit of the Muslim community and for charitable purposes. These properties cannot and should not be altered or interfered with by the government," he said. Ilyas emphasized the historical and legal sanctity of Waqf properties, stating that any changes to the law without proper discussion would be unacceptable to the community.
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was another critical issue discussed during the convention. Ilyas reiterated the Board's long-standing opposition to the UCC, stating that it threatens the pluralistic nature of Indian society.
"The UCC will disrupt the very fabric of this country. India thrives on its diversity, and a uniform code disregards this essential characteristic," he said. He explained that the Indian legal framework already accommodates individuals who choose not to follow their personal laws.
Ilyas also criticized the UCC implemented by the Uttarakhand government, calling it unconstitutional. "How can it be called a 'Uniform Civil Code' when it is applied only in one state?" he questioned. The AIMPLB plans to challenge the Uttarakhand UCC in the Nainital High Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) soon.
The Board also addressed growing tensions surrounding places of worship, particularly the rising claims that some mosques were originally temples. Ilyas pointed out that such disputes are in violation of the Places of Worship Act, 1992, which mandates that the status of religious sites shall remain as they were in 1947.
"The Supreme Court, in its verdict on the Babri Masjid case, clearly stated that no further disputes of this nature should arise. Yet, we see new cases being brought up regularly," he said.
Citing a recent incident in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where police action against protesters left two dead, Ilyas condemned the violence. "This incident was tragic and could have been avoided. It is deeply condemnable," he added.
The AIMPLB also expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine, highlighting the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Ilyas termed the situation a "genocide," pointing to the reported deaths of over 45,000 people in the last year.
"This is not a war; it is a genocide. The international community must take urgent steps to address the issue," he said. The Board called for a two-state solution as a pathway to peace and justice in the region.
The press conference was attended by several senior AIMPLB officials, including the Board’s president, Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani. The officials emphasized the need for unity among stakeholders and the Muslim community to address the challenges highlighted during the convention.
The AIMPLB pledged to continue its advocacy through protests, legal actions, and public engagement to safeguard the rights of the community and uphold the constitutional values of the country.
