A petition has been launched amid rumours that the Mayor of London could receive a knighthood.
Sadiq Khan has laughed off the petition (Image: London Assembly / change.org)
Sadiq Khan has laughed off a petition aiming to stop a rumoured knighthood.
The Mayor of London is believed to be in line for the honour after winning a third term as the capital’s leader.
At People’s Question Time, an event that happens twice a year, during which Mr Khan and London Assembly members are questioned by the public, yesterday, the subject was raised.
Conservative councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman asked the Mayor of he admitted to being just a “knight-mare”, The Standard reports.
He said: “Nearly 200,000 people have signed my petition to block you getting your knighthood.
“Do you admit that you are actually just a ‘knight-mare’?”
But the the query was said to be “out of order” by Labour assembly member Leonie Cooper, who was chairing the event.
Mr Khan laughed in the face of the question.
Ms Cooper also said that the dig had nothing to do with the economy.
This was supposed to be the topic for that section of People’s Question Time.
She said: “I don’t think the honours system is covered by the economy.”
The petition against a knighthood for the Mayor has been signed by 178,732 people at the time of writing.
It was set up by Cllr Goodwin-Freeman.
The page’s description reads: “Sadiq Khan’s tenure as Mayor of London has devastated the city we love so much.
Sadiq Khan is said to be in line for a major honour (Image: Getty)
“Our once thriving capital is now divided and stagnant, and all under his watch.
“We’ve seen Khan continuously deflect responsibility and accountability, blaming everybody but himself. Our beloved city is in an expensive paralysis, consistently interrupted by strikes.
“London, once a vibrant, inclusive hub, now stands divided thanks to Khan’s polarizing politics.
“London’s crime rate has seen a marked increase during his tenure with knife crime reaching record heights in recent years (Metropolitan Police Data).
“Despite being in a position to enact change, Khan continues to ignore these grave issues, instead placing blame elsewhere rather than taking decisive action himself.”
Mr Khan told The Standard: “I’m too busy being the Mayor of London to indulge in those sorts of conversations. Let’s wait and see what the Cabinet Office and the King announce on January 1.”
On Cllr Goodwin-Freeman, he added: “He’s a Tory councillor, a self-appointed commentator, but listen, he knows [in] the last three elections, the amount of votes I’ve got… They [the Conservatives] are used to losing, and let’s hope they carry on losing for the foreseeable future.”
