Newly-elected Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been formally signed in to the role at a Southwark Cathedral ceremony, a development which some said may pave the way for a ‘prime minister of colour’ in the United Kingdom.
Mr Khan said: “I’m determined to lead the most transparent, engaged and accessible administration… and to represent every single community, and every single part of our city, as mayor for all Londoners.”
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband and Baroness Doreen Lawrence were present.
Mr Khan received a standing ovation as he walked in to the hall.
Dean of Southwark Andrew Nunn told the congregation the new mayor’s victory brought a “carnival atmosphere” to the sacred building.
Mr Khan has said he will stand down as Labour MP for Tooting.
Earlier, Labour MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, said the first Muslim mayor of any capital city in the EU could pave the way for a “prime minister of colour”.
Having won 1,310,143 votes, Mr Khan received the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.
The son of a London bus driver who grew up in the capital, he is the third person to become the mayor of London after fellow Labour politician Ken Livingstone and Conservative Boris Johnson.
At the ceremony, Mr Khan said he was “truly humbled”.
Signing in as the mayor of London, he was greeted with cheers as he said: “My name is Sadiq Khan and I’m the mayor of London.”
He evoked laughter by saying: “Some of you may not know this, but I grew up on a council estate, just a few miles from here.
“Back then, I never dreamt that I could be standing here as the mayor of London.
“I’m only here today because of the opportunities and helping hand that our city gave to me and my family.
“And my burning ambition for our city, that will guide my mayoralty, is to ensure that all Londoners get the opportunities that our city gave to me.
“I want to start my mayoralty as I intend to go on. I’m determined to lead the most transparent, engaged and accessible administration London has ever seen, and to represent every single community, and every single part of our city, as mayor for all Londoners.”
Campaigner Baroness Lawrence, mother of murdered black teenager Stephen, said: “I never imagined in my lifetime I could have a mayor of London from an ethnic minority.”
