To ask if it's a good thing that London has a Muslim mayor

[DoesFlossfloss]

Because my London based in-laws are not happy and I've not been following the campaign as I'm not in London so don't really care. However, we're seeing PILs this weekend and it will be up for discussion.

[Akire]

One good thing is that he said he believes mayors job is a full time job so not also be MP or writing for newspapers and goodness knows what else they do at same time bringing in loads of money.

Total opposite to Latin spouting laughing joking pithal not answer the question Boris.

[Ambroxide]

Boris is a lazy entitled cunt, quite frankly. I have no idea why anyone voted for him in the first place. I am v happy that we as a city will be represented this time by someone who grew up on a council estate and has a good idea of what life is like for ordinary Londoners. Goldsmith has no idea. He's been a reasonable local MP and he is fairly responsive to emails and has not always voted with the govt. But he just hasn't got a clue about what life is like for normal people in London. He would not have been a good mayor. He's actually quite a nice chap personally but he has not got the background or the grit to fight for what London actually needs. I really hope Sadiq will fight for us. I think we have a better chance with him than with Goldsmith. And it is genuinely wonderful that London has rejected the awful racist campaign that he ran. I am so happy to be a part of my lovely city that has seen through that godawful nonsense.

[Myothercarisalsoshit]

For those that don't follow the crazed fringes of the cesspit that is the Labour hard left, the reason Khan and Field and others nominated Corbyn was if they had not, there would have been five years of whining from Trots that members were prevented from expressing their democratic rights by the capitalist running dogs of Westminster. But getting Corbyn on the ballot paper, they hoped to see him defeated, and his sub-Militant, sub-1983 politics with him. They didn't reckon on the suicidal virtue signalling "rather be pure in futile opposition than compromise in office" self-indulgence of the Labour Party at large.
Utter utter bollocks. Blair, Brown and Milliband led Labour up a blind alley. Corbyn is quietly realigning the party to forward a more socialist agenda. I think you'll find that the only whining we're hearing is that of bitter also rans who's chips were well and truly pissed on. Sub militant my arse. Say that in the DM did it?

[TheNaze73]

It's not his religion that will make him a weak mayor, it's his policies. Can't wait to see the clown start planting his magic money trees

[TragicallyUnbeyachted]

Yet women here seem to think he is fine? Remember you backed him, when your rights are eroded!

Quotes from Sadiq Khan:

"What’s insidious is if people are starting to think it is appropriate to treat women differently ... There is no other city in the world where I would want to raise my daughters than London. They have rights, they have protection, the right to wear what they like, think what they like, to meet who they like, to study what they like, more than they would in any other country."

"How can we Londoners, who take great pride in living in one of the most cosmopolitan and progressive cities in the world be content with the fact that women are not only getting a raw deal but are effectively being hindered from fulfilling their potential? History tells us that the best way to get more policy on the statute books that supports women, is by having women at the heart of that policy and decision making process. Making policy decisions that close the gender pay gap, decisions that tackle gender inequality in the work place, decisions that support working mothers and single mothers and increase the level of support for those women that have been victims of crime and violence because of their gender are of utmost importance, and what we need is women leading the way on these issues."

No, you're right, I'm at a loss to see what might appeal to women there...

[thecatfromjapan]

Nicely put, Ambroxide.

[Ambroxide]

Thank you, cat.

[Brokenbiscuit]

His skin colour, religion and social class are meaningless compared to his experience and expertise.

Yes indeed!

I'm thrilled that Sadiq has won in London, but not because he's Muslim. He was simply the better candidate.

Having said that, I hope that his victory will send a clear message to the rest of the world that London is not a place where the politics of prejudice prevail. Sadiq has won this race on his own merit, despite all of the scaremongering.

[LarryStylison]

I'm happy to give him a decent chance. He can't be any worse than Bojo!

[MitzyLeFrouf]

What do you think Goldsmith will do next? Leave politics and play at some part-time eco job?

[StrictlyMumDancing]

I worked in local government roles in both Ken and Boris's time. I will admit I voted for Boris in his second term, because as much as a buffoon as he was and as entertaining as it was to watch higher management deal with him he did put decent people in who knew what they were doing when in charge of projects which made things run a lot more efficiently though not necessarily easily. My view may be a lot different because of this than a normal Londoner. Having said that, the negative campaigning meant I didn't think anyone would do a good job and I've learnt more positives from this thread than I did through any campaign

[Ambroxide]

I too had no particular wish for a muslim mayor (or a christian or jewish one or any religion). I just wanted someone intelligent who properly understands the concerns of the majority of Londoners as opposed to just the rich ones (I'm one of the rich ones, comparatively speaking, but I don't want my city where I was born and will live all my life turned into a place where only rich people can be part of the life of it).

[kirinm]

Not sure what Zac will do now but there are a lot of Tories willingly throwing him under the bus on Twitter tonight. His fault of course but let's not pretend this campaign didn't come from higher up.

Zac must be pretty gutted by Jemima's tweets.

[Ambroxide]

Zac can do anything he likes. He doesn't actually need a job, does he?

[Ambroxide]

Zac has only himself to blame. He has said time and again that he's a good MP partly because he doesn't need the money and can vote purely on his conscience. His conscience clearly doesn't extend as far as refraining from being obviously racist. He could have said no to that campaign if he'd really wanted to.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

Well that's true I suppose.

[kirinm]

Oh, the man has zero integrity and thoroughly deserves the shit that is coming his way. It was a disgusting campaign and I'm so pleased London rejected it.

[BertrandRussell]

OP- what do your pil think he will do that scares them?

[Akire]

Finally he is officially the mayor!

[PortiaCastis]

I don't live in London but I do think the right man won. He was by far the better candidate and who cares if he's muslim or anything else. Zac Goldsmith fought a dirty racist campaign and paid the price. Btw didn't he get thrown out of school for drug taking or is that media mumbling?
Also think Sadiq is quite nice looking

[Ambroxide]

Yay!

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

Zac deserves his defeat. This is London. We don't appreciate thinly veiled racism. It's clear he didn't have a clue about the city he was hoping to be the mayor of!!

[InionEile]

I wish people would stop describing him as the 'Muslim Mayor'. As far as I can see from his profile and public persona, he is an average Labour politician. Left wing, defender of human rights against racists or police use of force, secular, educated. Sounds pretty standard to me. Also says on Wikipedia (fount of knowledge!) that a fatwa was issued against him in 2013 for voting in favour of the same sex marriage act so he is hardly a hardline Muslim.

Catholics had to put up with this shit too when they first started winning public office on a broad scale in the UK. It is tiresome, outdated thinking.

[IPityThePontipines]

we need to see moderate Muslims in the public eye. They are the ones receiving death threats and in one case at least, being murdered by other muslims. They are the ones being silenced by people from within their own community.

Actually, I think it's the cruddy innuendo like the OP of this thread, or complaints that a winner of a baking competition isn't devoting her time to an issue she probably has no personal connection to whatsoever, that has an negative impact.

The way Sadiq Khan has been treated by not just Zac Goldsmith, but certain sections of the media would make quite a few Muslims think twice about putting their head above the parapet.

Nadia herself has said she just wanted to win a baking competition, not be held up as a representative on behalf of all Muslims, ever, so why can't she be allowed to do that?

Likewise, why should Sadiq Khan's career experience be secondary to consideration of what his wife and daughter wear?

It's nonsense.

[howabout]

Well said Ipity.

Amused to see its not just me who thinks Sadiq has a certain je ne sais quoi Portia - I think I've even spelled that right so 25 years being married to a half French Londoner must be rubbing off a bit

I think Zac's eco career must be binned beyond recycling too because a racist candidate would be pretty toxic to the Green brand. He may have to go back to being non-dom preferably as far off shore as possible.