The Conservative campaign was marred by accusations it was using fear to try to retain control of City Hall, with the prime minister raising questions about Khan’s suitability for mayor in the Commons.
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Mohammed Amin, chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum, said he had been disgusted by the Goldsmith campaign tactics. His victory is seen as a spark of hope for the Labour Party as opposed to its rout in Scotland while it just won a few byelections in Britain.
London’s new Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has vowed to be a “mayor for all Londoners” calling his win a “victory for hope over fear and for unity over division”. He brought some cheer to the biggest electoral test of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. “I wish him every possible success”. We are getting on fine. Supporters said Khan’s own message – that a victory for him would show the world how tolerant and open Britain was – carried far more power.
But the MP did concede that Mr Corbyn is beginning to realise Labour needs to win over more Tory voters.
“We only do that be speaking to those people who previously haven’t voted Labour, by speaking to Tory voters, by speaking to those outside of our tent”.
“Squabbles over internal party structures might be important for some in the party, but it is clear they mean little or nothing to the huge majority of voters”. He was the Conservative candidate: we wanted him.
“Campaigns that deliberately turn their back on particular groups are doomed to fail”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted his congratulations to Khan way before the formal announcement: “Can’t wait to work with you to create a London that is fair for all!”
He said: “We’ve got to start reaching out to people who in the past have voted Conservative”.
The 45-year-old Opposition candidate takes charge as the first Muslim head of City Hall in London as counting in the so-called “Super Thursday” polls came to a close. “I want every single Londoner to get the opportunities that our city gave to me and my family”, Khan said.
Over the weekend the new London Mayor warned about the party’s current direction.
Tory former justice secretary Ken Clarke told the BBC the way the campaign had been run was a “mistake” and “probably had a counter-productive effect”. “That’s the nature of our democracy and the rough-and-tumble of politics”.
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The row broke as anti-Corbyn Labour MPs privately said that the coup against him was “postponed not cancelled” after a raft of election results across the United Kingdom was deemed bad for Labour – but not dire enough to force him out now.
