London Mayor Sadiq Khan Becomes Member of House of Lords

In a significant political development, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been granted membership in the House of Lords, becoming a Labour life peer named Lord Khan of Tooting. This honor was bestowed upon him through Letters Patent dated August 20, which took effect on the same day. The peerage is named after Tooting, the London district where Khan was born, and where he represented constituents for eleven years prior to his tenure as mayor.

Family members and fellow Labour MPs from London attended the formal swearing-in ceremony at the House of Lords. Khan, along with fellow Labour peer Lord Roberto Neri, took the traditional oath, signed the official roll, and pledged adherence to the House of Lords Code of Conduct. The ceremony also featured the welcoming of the new peers by the Lord Speaker and other members of the House.

Khan's appointment comes as the final week of Labour leader Keir Starmer's time in the office. Prior to his political career, Khan was a solicitor specializing in human rights law. He served as MP for Tooting from 2005 to 2016 and held various positions in the government under Gordon Brown, including Minister of State for Transport.

As London's mayor from 2016 to the present, Khan has navigated the city through numerous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorist attacks, and environmental concerns. Notably, he is London's first Muslim mayor. Khan was also awarded a knighthood for his contributions to political and public service when King Charles presented the honor during a June 2025 ceremony at Buckingham Palace.