A tale of two cities: London’s lesson for New York’s first Muslim mayor

双城故事:伦敦对纽约首位穆斯林市长的启示

The Global Story

2025-11-06

26 分钟
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Even before Zohran Mamdani was elected as New York’s first Muslim mayor, his critics frequently cited London as a sort of cautionary tale, suggesting that New York under Mamdani could go “the way of London.” That’s because London already has a liberal, Muslim mayor - Sadiq Khan. But is that where the similarities end? We talk to Tim Donovan, a former BBC reporter who covered London politics for decades. And we ask Mr Khan himself what it’s like to be a local politician with an international profile - especially when your most persistent critic, is a tenacious man called Donald Trump? Producers: Xandra Ellin, Valerio Esposito and Cat Farnsworth Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: New York City mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, waves to his supporters after winning the 2025 New York City Mayoral race. Jeenah Moon / Reuters
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  • When Zoran Mumdani won the election to become the next mayor of New York City,

  • he expressed a sense of relief.

  • More than one million Muslims know that they belong.

  • Not just in the five boroughs of this city, but in the halls of power.

  • No more will New York be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia and win an election.

  • And as he wrapped up his victory speech, he walked offstage to a Bollywood sock.

  • It was a historic result, New York's first Muslim mayor born in Uganda.

  • But for Mamdani's critics, his victory has set off alarm bells.

  • On election night,

  • President Trump's ally and former adviser Steve Bannon made a very particular warning.

  • This is going to be the wokest city on planet Earth.

  • You have this guy, Mandami, is a neo-Marxist and a jihadist.

  • Think about the red-green alliance that we've talked about for a long time,

  • that Trevor Loudon and Frank Gaffney and Raheem Qassam warned you that Sadiq Khan was the model of that in London.

  • And look what he's turned London into.

  • That's what New York City is going to be London in less than 10 years.

  • I think in about five years.

  • London and its Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, have long been invoked by Donald Trump in his support.

  • as a cautionary tale of what could happen here in the US.

  • From the BBC, I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, DC.