Sir Sadiq Khan has been made a peer by Sir Keir Starmer in one of his last acts before he leaves No10.
The London Mayor is on a list of 26 new members of the House of Lords issued by Downing Street.
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 spokesman for the Mayor said: “Sadiq is 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.
“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.”
However, Reform UK mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham criticised the decision.
She posted on X: “Sadiq Khan wanted the House of Lords abolished. Now he’ll happily take a seat there as Lord Khan.
“What changed? Your principles, or your title? Isn’t being Mayor of London enough of a title for you? And will you now resign?”
But the Mayor won strong backing from his successor as Labour MP for Tooting, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan.
She messaged: “Huge congratulations to @SadiqKhan on his well-deserved peerage.
“From growing up on the Henry Prince Estate to leading our capital city and now a member of the Lords - he's a dedicated public servant.”
Sir Sadiq is on course to win a fourth term in City Hall, according to a poll just days ago.
He recently ruled out returning to the Commons and it is understood that he will not seek to be a minister in Andy Burnham’s government.
Just weeks ago, Sir Sadiq said that he would decide next year whether to seek re-election in 2028.
However, Sir Sadiq is a controversial figure in London, and beyond, heavily criticised by his political opponents.
The Conservatives and Reform UK have taken the Mayor to task over his record on crime and the housing crisis in the city.
He has also clashed regularly with Donald Trump who has unleashed a series of personal and barbed attacks on him.
It is not yet clear whether he will be known as Lord Khan of Tooting, the constituency he represented as an MP.
The citation for his peerage states: “Sir Sadiq is the Mayor of London, first elected in 2016 and re-elected for a historic third term in 2024. He is the first Muslim Mayor of a major Western capital and has led London through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorist attacks and the climatemergency.
“Under his leadership, London has expanded affordable housing, introduced free school meals, increased youth provision, transformed public transport including the completion of the Elizabeth Line, and introduced the world's largest clean air zone.
“Before becoming Mayor, Sadiq was a councillor and MP for Tooting. He has held various Ministerial positions, attending Cabinet as Minister of State for Transport.
“The son of a bus driver and a seamstress, he grew up on a council estate, working as a prominent human rights lawyer before entering politics. He remains an advocate for social justice, equality and the role of cities in tackling global challenges.”
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