Sir Sadiq Khan is to be given a peerage for his work as London mayor by outgoing prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.
A government source said: “Sadiq has been a brilliant mayor who has transformed London for the better, so this is thoroughly deserved.
“He has cut violent crime to record lows, cleaned up the capital’s air, delivered the Elizabeth Line, and got London building council homes again.”
A peerage potentially opens the door for him to join Andy Burnham’s new cabinet, due to be unveiled next week, as members of the House of Lords are able to become ministers. But Sir Sadiq will stay on as the city’s mayor and is not seeking a ministerial role, it is understood.
A spokesperson said he was “honoured to be given a peerage”.
“London gave Sadiq the opportunities to go from a council estate to being Mayor of London, and his focus will continue to be ensuring that all Londoners get the same shot at reaching their full potential that London gave him and his family,” he added.“Serving as mayor of the greatest city in the world continues to be the privilege of Sadiq’s life.
“He is excited about what more can be delivered in the years ahead and he will devote his time and energy to standing up for our city and building a fairer, safer and greener London for everyone.”
His peerage is part of a cross-party honours list understood to have been in the works before Sir Keir announced his resignation as PM.
Also made peers are June Sarpong, the television presenter, Christina McAnea, the former general secretary of the Unison union, one of Labour’s largest donors, and Sir Chris Wormald, the former cabinet secretary who was ousted by Sir Keir earlier this year.
In 2023 Sir Keir said he would not hand out a traditional resignation honours list when he finished being prime minister after controversies with the lists presented by Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
At the time, Sir Keir said: “Tony Blair didn’t have a resignation list. It’s very hard to justify. There are other avenues for that and I think it’s easier to be clean about this and simply say, no, I wouldn’t do it.”
Sir Keir also gave a peerage to Alison Graham, the chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, ex-Labour MP and economist Kitty Ussher and Parvais Jabbar, the co-executive director of The Death Penalty Project.
Sir Ed Davey also welcomed five new Liberal Democrat peers in the list.
Agricultural economist Julia Aglionby, former Barnsley councillor and physiotherapist Hannah Kitching, economist Tim Leunig, Lib Dem campaigns director Dave McCobb and offshore wind entrepreneur Mark Petterson have been elevated to the House of Lords.
Sir Ed said: “Each of them has the right skills, experience and values to help us hold the government to account, deliver the change people need, and fix our broken politics, including reforming the House of Lords.”
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