Sadiq Khan hasn’t dismissed speculation that he wants to serve as Mayor of London until 2040.
The mayor could seek re-election to City Hall on another three occasions, bringing his possible total terms in office to six.
In May, Khan was re-elected as mayor for an unprecedented third term, with a winning margin of 275,000 votes.
Appearing on the How To Fail Podcast with Elisabeth Day, Khan was asked if he would want to stay at City Hall until 2040. He replied: “I want to carry on as long as Londoners want to lend me their vote and give me their trust, being the best mayor I can be.”
However, he conceded that the decision is not an easy one, as the abuse he and his family have suffered ever since he came to power could make him reconsider staying on in the role.
He even said that had he known that his family – particularly his daughters who have been targeted online – would be treated so appallingly, he may have never taken the position in the first place.
Khan told Day that the impact on his family, who now need “very intrusive” police protection, was one of his deepest regrets.
“Hand on heart, had I known when I first began this journey what it involved for my family, I can’t unequivocally say I would have done this,” he admitted.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Khan said that during most of his first two terms, he did not speak of the abuse he received as he did not want to put people off entering politics.
The reason I’ve decided to talk about it was because somebody said to me: “You are in danger of gaslighting the public into thinking things are great, hunky dory, when they’re not.
“A lot of the talented people you would want to be your MP, your mayor or your Prime Minister will think: it’s not worth it.”
“That is why we have got to have the conversation. Are we saying that’s acceptable now for people, who haven’t put their head above the parapet, to get hate [mail] because of who their dad is?”
Sadiq Khan signs the Declaration of Acceptance of Office to begin his third term as the Mayor of London
PA
Khan received just over 1,088,000 votes in the mayoral elections in May, a majority of some 275,000, beating Tory candidate Susan Hall.
Speaking at City Hall following his victory, Khan said: “We faced a campaign of non-stop negativity, but I couldn’t be more proud that we answered the fearmongering with facts, hate with hope, and attempts to divide with efforts to unite.
“We ran a campaign that was in keeping with the spirit and values of this great city, a city that regards our diversity not as a weakness, but as an almighty strength – and one that rejects right hard-wing populism and looks forward, not back.
“It’s truly an honour to be re-elected for a third term, and do so with a record level of support from Londoners, with an increased margin of victory.”
