Sadiq Khan of Britain's Labour Party has become the first Muslim elected mayor of a major Western capital after beating conservative rival Zac Goldsmith in a bitter campaign to become the mayor of London.
Election results announced Friday night show Londoners voted Khan, 45, into office over Goldsmith, 57 percent to 43 percent.
In becoming mayor of Britain's capital, Khan ends eight years of conservative control of the city.
During his acceptance speech, Khan talked up his roots growing up in government housing and said he “never dreamed” someone like him could be elected mayor of London.
“I want every single Londoner to get the opportunities that our city gave to me and my family. The opportunities not just to survive, but to thrive,” he said.
Congratulations
Mayors of cities from around the world took to Twitter to congratulate Khan on his win.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said he will “look forward to working together!”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said Khan’s “humanity, progressivism will benefit Londoners.”
Khan’s victory in the mayoral race offered a bit of hope to the Labour Party after it took losses in local and regional elections across Britain on “Super Thursday,” in which 45 million Britons were eligible to vote.
The Labour Party came in third in the devolved Scottish government elections, and for the first time in decades, fell behind the conservatives and the pro-independence Scottish National Party. The party held onto power in the Welsh assembly, but lost a seat.
With results in from 115 out of 124 local English city councils, Labour lost control of one council, down to 57, and 19 seats, down to 1,265.
Conservatives stayed even, controlling 31 councils, and losing 18 seats, down to 708.
