Sadiq Khan Reflects on Decade as London Mayor, Stresses Coalition Building

Sadiq Khan marked 10 years as London mayor this week, a period that began when Barack Obama was US president, the UK remained in the European Union and Leicester City won the English Premier League title.

Donald Trump has since served two terms as US president, the UK saw six prime ministers and Brexit upended the nation. London endured terror attacks and the Grenfell Tower fire.

Khan, son of a south London bus driver, outlasted predecessors Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. He won a third term by defeating his latest Tory opponent.

From his Thames-side office, Khan said his main lesson as mayor is building coalitions. "I’m somebody who’s quite pugnacious. I used to be a litigation lawyer, so I’m quite adversarial," he said. "But my experience as mayor has taught me that actually working together achieves far more."

His winning coalition includes Tory remainers, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour supporters, he said. "It is really important to say I am all in favour of building a coalition of the willing … if we have a similar north star, the fact that you are from a different tribe to me, that should be by the by. Let’s work together because we love this city."

Khan, London's first Muslim mayor, has faced rising racist abuse. Trump called him a "terrible, terrible mayor" at the 2025 UN General Assembly and claimed London headed toward sharia law. Khan called Trump "racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic." Now Khan says London's diversity offends nativists. "If you’re a nativist, you believe in mono-ethnicity, you believe in mono-religion, then London is the antidote and the antithesis, because we are diverse, we are pluralistic, we are liberal and we are incredibly successful on any objective criteria."

Such attacks take a personal toll on Khan, his family and staff.

Khan collaborates with mayors like Paris's Anne Hidalgo and New York's Zohran Mamdani, who won on promises of free childcare, fast buses and rent freezes. "I’m a firm believer in stealing well rather than inventing badly," Khan said.

In a 2015 Guardian interview, Khan pledged to prioritize the environment: expand the ultra-low emission zone, plant 2 million trees, build cycle lanes, introduce electric buses, divest the pension fund from fossil fuels and pedestrianize Oxford Street.

The ultra-low emission zone now covers all of Greater London, removing dirty vehicles. Khan funded 640,000 trees to combat floods and heatwaves. The cycle network quadrupled, cyclist numbers rose, electric buses rolled out, the pension fund divested and Oxford Street will fully close to traffic by summer's end. Beavers, otters returned to waterways; white storks may follow.

A 20 mph speed limit cut emissions and prevented over 250 road deaths, Khan said. "I’m just so proud that we have put environment front and centre," he added. "People call it different things … clean air, better public transport, safer cycling, keeping fares affordable, planting trees, rewilding. But genuinely I think London has been transformed. It would take the harshest critic not to say we are a greener, safer, fairer city."

Experts praise the record. King's College London estimated in 2019 that nitrogen dioxide would take 193 years to meet limits without action. Last year, levels hit legal standards for the first time since 2010.

The 2023 ultra-low emission zone expansion to outer boroughs drew opposition from Conservatives, Labour leader Keir Starmer, Liberal Democrats and Reform. "I had no support from the Conservative government, no support from the national Labour party, no support from the Liberal Democrats, no support from Reform," Khan said. "So we built a coalition because of the urgency … and we’ve done it."

After Labour's losses to Greens in recent elections, Khan criticized Labour for calling Greens extremists. He said the 2024 Labour landslide drew progressives, including past Green, Liberal Democrat and Tory remainer voters. "We need to treat people and their votes with more respect than that … and we need to work together to build those crucial coalitions."

Khan has partnered with Greens on air pollution and youth clubs.

Challenges persist: flooding, heat, wildfires hit deprived areas hardest. The Silvertown tunnel worries climate experts. PM2.5 pollution exceeds WHO guidelines amid wood stove growth. New EU limits loom, SUVs proliferate and housing needs climate-proofing.

"I’m impatient for change," Khan said. "I’m ambitious for this city." He aims to clean waterways, curb SUVs and position the City of London as green finance hub.

Entering his second decade, Khan runs five miles most mornings. "London is a case study in hope," he said. The city endured Brexit, pandemic, austerity, a 2022 mini-budget, four 2017 terror attacks and Grenfell but always rebounds stronger.