Cardinal Nichols welcomes new Mayor of London

Sadiq Khan was officially sworn in as Mayor of London, at a multifaith ceremony held in Southwark Cathedral today (Saturday). The event was attended by many faith and community leaders - among them The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, Sir Ian McKellen, Ed Miliband and Doreen Lawrence and members of London Citizens. Music included the choir of St Bonaventure's Boys Catholic secondary school, Forest Gate.

The Dean of Southwark, Andrew Nunn, told the congregation Mr Khan's victory had brought a "carnival atmosphere" to the sacred building.

There was loud applause as Mr Khan began his speech. He said: "We're here at Southwark Cathedral because I want to start as I intend to carry 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. A Mayor for all Londoners.

"So I wanted to do the signing-in ceremony here. In the very heart of our city, surrounded by Londoners of all backgrounds."

He added: "I'm only here today because of the opportunity and helping hand that our city gave 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 this city gave to me.

"My promise to you is this. I promise you I will always do everything I can in my power to make our city better. I will be a Mayor for Londoners."

Cardinal Nichols made this statement following the Declaration of Acceptance of the new mayor:

"I welcome Sadiq Khan as the new Mayor of London. I assure him of my prayers for his time in this important office in which he will face the great challenges of London, in its richness, diversity and energy.

"Yesterday Pope Francis reflected on these challenges. Speaking of the great cities of Europe he used these words: 'Many of our cities are remarkably beautiful precisely because they have managed to preserve over time traces of different ages, nations, styles and visions...the richness and worth of a people is grounded in its ability to combine all these levels in a healthy coexistence. Forms of reductionism and attempts at uniformity, far from generating value, condemn our peoples to a cruel poverty: the poverty of exclusion. Far from bestowing grandeur, riches and beauty, exclusion leads to vulgarity, narrowness, and cruelty. Far from bestowing nobility of spirit, it brings meanness.'

May this same spirit inspire the leadership of our new Mayor."

The final verdict was delivered by a returning officer shortly after midnight today, Khan received a total of 1,310,143 votes - 57% of the total, in contrast to the 994,614 votes received for Zac Goldsmith. Khan's tally gave him the largest personal mandate of any politician in the history of the United Kingdom. Various press sources note that Khan's election made him the first Muslim mayor of a major Western city.