Lord of Migration and Crime
The Mayor of London may soon become a member of the House of Lords after his nomination was put forward by the outgoing Prime Minister. The news has reignited debate on social media, where users recalled the criticism that first surfaced a year ago when Sadiq Khan was knighted.London’s first Muslim mayor was knighted in June last year. Following the announcement, around 30 petitions were submitted to Parliament demanding that Sadiq Khan be stripped of the title. All of them were rejected. One petition gathered 220,000 signatures and stated: “Our once thriving capital is now divided and stagnant, and all under his watch”. But the knighthood was not the end of it. The Mayor of London has now been included among 26 potential nominees for the House of Lords. His appointment has already been approved by Charles III.
The Public’s Voice Went Unheard
Part of the online community expressed outrage that such decisions were once again being made without regard for public opinion, while others openly claimed that this was only possible because of corruption within the government.
Life in the Capital Is Getting Worse
Many commentators point to the long-standing criticism directed at Sadiq Khan. He was first elected in 2016, and since then, they argue, conditions in the capital have steadily deteriorated. A number of users say London has become a camp for migrants. The author of the Diginomad account posted a video showing one of the scenes that residents and visitors to the capital can witness every day.
Public outrage is also reflected in the statistics. The website crimerate.co.uk allows anyone to review crime data from recent years and see that, under Sadiq Khan, the number of crimes recorded in the capital has continued to rise. For example, the rate of theft and robbery per 1,000 residents in London is 4.5 times higher than the national average. Over the past three years, there has been a surge across virtually every category.
Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan’s term as Mayor does not expire until 2028. The mayor himself has repeatedly stated that he has no intention of leaving office before then. At the same time, membership in the House of Lords would allow him to seek a ministerial position in Andy Burnham’s cabinet. It is already possible to imagine what someone with such a track record could accomplish for the benefit of the public as a government minister.