On May 2nd, the UK held local elections, which determined the allocation of thousands of seats in local councils and several city mayors, including London.
According to election regulations, British citizens, Irish citizens, citizens of Commonwealth countries, and some citizens of EU countries who are at least 18 years old are eligible to register as voters and participate in the election of the London mayor.
In the election results on May 4th, London Mayor Sadiq Khan received approximately 1.08 million votes, with a vote share of about 43.8%, securing his third term as mayor.
Sadiq Khan is a member of the UK Labour Party. He was first elected as Mayor of London in 2016, becoming the city's first Muslim mayor, and successfully won re-election in 2021.
His re-election makes him the first mayor in London's history to serve three consecutive terms.
The term of office for the Mayor of London is four years, with unlimited opportunities for re-election, and the annual salary is approximately 1.38 million RMB.
Sadiq Khan's name implies his other identity: he is a British-Pakistani Muslim, born at St. George's Hospital in London.
In London, immigrant families like his are very common. According to the 2021 census data, London has approximately 8.89 million residents, of which about 37% are not born in the UK.
The racial composition and religious beliefs of London have also changed. The proportion of white people has decreased from 97.7% in 1961 to the current 53.8%, with ethnic minorities accounting for about 46.2%, including a significant proportion of African, Indian, Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Chinese descent.
In terms of religion, Christianity remains the main faith in London, but atheism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism, etc., also have a certain proportion.
The birth rate of foreign immigrants is significantly higher than that of native white people. In 2021, the proportion of newborns to foreign immigrants accounted for about 57% of the city's total.
Therefore, "Mohammed" has become one of the most popular names for newborns in London.
In addition to London, mayors of cities such as Birmingham, Leeds, Blackburn, Sheffield, Oxford, Luton, Oldham, and Rochdale in England are also predominantly Muslim, demonstrating the increasing influence of Muslims in British politics.
Currently, there are over 3,000 mosques, more than 130 Islamic Sharia courts, and over 50 Islamic Sharia councils in the UK.
Muslim families receive relatively high welfare benefits, while the employment rates of Muslim women and men are relatively low.
Although mainstream British values regard diversity as an advantage, the growing political influence of Muslims has raised some concerns.
In the future, as global conditions change, various ideologies will continue to collide, and the UK will face more challenges.
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