olivia, yes, I'd like to know too, have very little knowledge about him apart from being a lawyer/son of bus driver.
I don't know why anyone is worried about Khan though - he represents Labour, he's not some one-man dictator to be who suddenly will rule over everyone, not a free agent in other words. He answers to both Labour party leaders AND Londoners who are not going to stand for any discrimination/terrorist sympathies if any politician tried to promote it. I bet many Muslims don't see him as a 'proper Muslim' either with his support of gay marriage, and his female relatives not covering heads etc.
LookJust quite, this is UK, not Middle East so you are going to see more white people, but also very high percentage of black and Far-Eastern ethnicities who came or were born in the UK, most of whom are not Muslims - it's historically a majority white country (and also both white and black population is majority Christian) so your point is ridiculous as it's not about race, but about religion and culture/behaviour in this given society.
People feel sensitive about 'hordes of Muslims' because they are bringing a completely different religion and culture to a place where people are happy with their own system/culture, hard-worked for and defended in wars! People have pride in their (and generations before) achievements regarding democracy and economy.The equality of women wasn't won easily either but it's been progressing for a century, own religion is also not obligatory in this country - many disagree with any religion, so it's hardly surprising that seeing Muslims who do not integrate but bring their culture (especially women covered in black, hatred of gays) to this country is jarring on people. That's even besides the radicalism - which is of course a small minority but it's has brought the real damage, and the aggression and segregation is their hallmark. Muslim men imposing rules on women to cover up and to submit to husbands generally, and then imposing that on the streets here is seen as a quiet aggression and promoting their rules, even though it's miles away from extremism.
What most people want to know is, why choose a Euro country to live in (unless you had no choice of where to go as a refugee) if you could live in a Muslim country and share your beliefs with majority, it's seen as having to tolerate something that's against hugely important values .It's an equivalent of hordes of white people who are parading a big cross 'in your face' in a Muslim country - or hordes of white women in mini skirts in a Muslim country. Obviously the difference is they'd be persecuted there, whereas here people tolerate black coverings (especially of the face) but they don't have to approve or like it. Out of all immigrants (regardless of race/nationality) it seems like it's Muslims who don't want to integrate into the Western society rules, yet they still choose to come here.
No one is uncomfortable with Buddhists, or Jews, or Catholics, Orthodox or Sikhs because none of those religions discriminate against women - at least not anywhere near to this extent, and the warring extremist element is non-existant or very low (IRA was/is an exception out of all Christian and/or Catholic countries).
Minority religions are accepted happily here - and so are the minority of people who don't integrate with the way they dress - but when increasing numbers come into this country and become more and more present visually, and also form some sort of mini-states where even Sharia law rules by-passing some of the laws of this country, of course it's not going to be liked - it's seen as aggressive.
People who make these comments lack respect to the history and political achievement of this country/the West generally - anyone is free to live where they like but surely the point of immigration is to integrate into a new country because you WANT to live there, not to stick to your own culture opposing their fundamental values (as I say unless you are a war refugee who had no choice).