London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said his children think he has ‘sold out’ by accepting a Knighthood and becoming ‘part of the establishment’.
Sir Sadiq was awarded the gong in the New Year Honours list – but has come in for heavy criticism from his political opponents as a result.
And it seems like the backlash also extends to Khan’s own daughters Anisah and Ammarah, as well as some of his nieces and nephews.
The three-term mayor said it was ‘a huge honour’ to receive the title but has joked his nomination received a mixed reaction.
While Sir Sadiq said his mum is ‘chuffed to bits’ at his knighting, the 54-year-old said his two children have accused him of becoming ‘part of the establishment’.
Speaking on the Comfort Eating podcast, he said: ‘I’m not going to pretend it’s not lovely; it’s a huge honour. My mum is chuffed to bits (but) my kids think it’s a joke.
‘They think I’ve sold out – that I’m part of the establishment – all that sort of stuff. My nephews and nieces think I’m elite.’
But the Tooting-born politician has faced genuine criticism from fellow politicians with Conservatives branding his inclusion on the Honours List a ‘reward for failure’.
Sir Sadiq is now in his third term as Mayor of London, having initially been elected in 2016 and then reelected in 2021 and 2024
The Mayor of London (left), a former Labour MP, was handed a knighthood in the first batch of appointments made since Keir Starmer (right) entered Downing Street
Sir Sadiq said that his two daughters think his knighthood is a sign he has ‘sold out – that I’m part of the establishment’. Pictured: Sadiq Khan with his wife Saadiya Khan.
Following the announcement of Khan’s knighthood, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the nomination showed ‘once again that for Labour it is Party first, country second’.
He said: ‘Under Sadiq Khan, Londoners have faced a 61% increase in knife crime, a housing crisis and a 70% increase in council tax – they will rightly be furious his track record of failure is being rewarded.
‘By rewarding the failing Sadiq Khan, Keir Starmer has shown once again that for Labour it is Party first, country second.’
Meanwhile Bob Blackman, the Tory MP for Harrow East and chairman of the 1922 Committee, said: ‘This is an absolute reward for failure.
‘He is a disaster in London. If you look at every single target he’s set himself – on housing, on crime – he’s missed them every time. He is a total failure, which is clearly a position he has in common with the Government.’
Earlier this month, suggestions that Sir Sadiq was set for a knighthood prompted a Change.org petition saying it should be blocked.
Tory London councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman started the petition, which attracted more than 200,000 signatures.
He told the Mail: ‘To see Sadiq Khan be given a knighthood is a kick in the teeth for millions of Londoners.
Bob Blackman, chair of the 1922 Committee and himself a CBE, called Sir Khan’s knighthood ‘an absolute reward for failure’
Sir Khan has bitten back at critics of his knighthood and said he was ‘truly humbled’ by the award
‘He refuses to take responsibility for his failures and shows no remorse or accountability.
‘His track record of failure makes his knighthood even more confusing: crime is up, police in special measures, fire brigade in special measures, his share of council tax is up, the number of days of strikes is up, robberies are up… He’s a nightmare, not a knighted Mayor.’
Sir Khan was on the Honours List alongside horticulturist, broadcaster and presenter Alan Titchmarsh, much-beloved children’s author Dame Jaqueline Wilson and former England football manager Gareth Southgate.
Other politicians nominated for honours included Labour MP Emily Thornberry, former Conservative mayor Andy Street, and former Tory MP Nick Gibb.
The Labour mayor has previously said he was ‘truly humbled’ to have been made a knight and said it was the ‘honour of my life to serve the city I love’.
Biting back against his critics, Sir Khan told the PA news agency: ‘Look, today’s not the first time the Conservatives have criticised me.
‘Unless they’ve done a new year’s resolution, it won’t be the last time they criticise me.
‘What’s really important, though, is to thank His Majesty the King for bestowing upon me this honour.
Horticulturalist, author and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh and children’s author Jaqueline Wilson were also on the Honours List
Emily Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, was made a Dame in the latest Honours List
‘It’s humbling for me. My father passed away more than 20 years ago. I was with my mum last night when the news broke about this knighthood and she’s just chuffed.
‘I mean, she’s someone who’s a migrant to this country. My parents, they’ve worked incredibly hard like migrants do and they’re really proud that one of their children has been given this honour.
‘It shows that in London, if you work hard, there’s a helping hand, you can achieve anything.
‘I think the rest of the world are looking at our country and seeing what a great country this is, and what a great city London is.’
Sir Sadiq, previously Labour MP for Tooting in south London, became London Mayor in 2016, the first Muslim mayor of any European capital. He was re-elected in 2021 and secured a third term in 2024.
He said: ‘I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I would one day be mayor of London.
‘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 the capital’s communities deserve.’
However, during his time in City Hall, London has been dubbed the ‘knife crime capital’ and the Met Police Service has been forced into special measures.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate (pictured) was bestowed with the honour following the Three Lions glorious Euros run to the final in Germany last summer
Stephen Fry has been made a Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours list for services to mental health awareness, the environment and to charity
Knife crime campaigners have branded Khan’s knighthood ‘an insult’ to victims’ families.
Suzanne Hedges, whose son was stabbed to death by a teenager in 2016, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘It’s insulting, degrading and disrespectful to families that have lost someone to knife crime.’
Courtney Barrett, of the Binning Knives Saves Lives group, added: ‘The knighthood is an insult, and I speak for 20 families of murder victims who I work closely with.’
