Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been knighted in the New Year’s Honours list, following a record-breaking third term election win.

Khan has served as mayor since 2016, after previously working as a human rights lawyer and Member of Parliament for Tooting – a feat Khan described as “truly humbling”.

“It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love,” said Khan, 54. “I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I would one day be mayor of London. I will continue to build the fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London that all of the capital’s communities deserve.”

The recognition has sparked controversy, with critics pointing to Khan’s policies and governance record.

Conservative councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman, who launched a petition opposing the knighthood, previously challenged Khan at a public event amid speculation about the honour.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp labelled the knighthood “a reward for failure,” citing knife crime levels and missed housing targets under Khan’s leadership.

The mayor has faced backlash over his flagship green policy, the expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez), which opponents blamed for Labour’s defeat in the Uxbridge by-election. The rollout also led to protests and vandalism against enforcement cameras and signage.

Supporters, however, highlighted Khan’s achievements, including delivering free school meals for London children and record numbers of council homes.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy praised the knighthood, saying Khan’s career exemplifies Britain as a place where a council estate resident can rise to become “the first Muslim in cabinet, mayor of our great capital city, and a knight of the realm.”

Khan’s knighthood adds a historic chapter to his tenure as the first Muslim mayor of London.