Aysu Biçer
05 November 2025•Update: 05 November 2025
LONDON
British left-wing politicians have hailed the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York, describing his victory as a triumph of progressive politics with lessons for the UK.
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, made history as the first Muslim to be elected mayor of New York.
His campaign focused on tackling inequality, housing justice, and corporate power -- themes that have resonated strongly with left-leaning figures in Britain.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, who shares the distinction of being the first Muslim leader of his city, congratulated Mamdani, drawing parallels between their campaigns.
“New Yorkers faced a clear choice -- between hope and fear -- and just like we’ve seen in London -- hope won,” Khan said. “Huge congratulations to Zohran Mamdani on his historic campaign,” he said on the US social media company X.
‘Lessons for Labour’
Several Labour MPs suggested that Mamdani’s grassroots campaign offers a model for the UK’s left.
Clive Lewis, a prominent voice on the Labour left, said on US social media company X: “Mamdani’s win in New York shows courage and conviction still cut through. He stood up to fear and corporate power and won. There’s a lesson here for us: you don’t beat cynicism by managing decline, but by giving people something worth believing in.”
Labour MP Luke Charters echoed that sentiment, saying Mamdani’s victory “shows us how we can defeat right-wing populism here in the UK: deliver real solutions, not empty slogans.”
Uma Kumaran, another Labour MP, celebrated what she called “the politics of hope over hate.”
“From London to New York, congratulations Zohran Mamdani! Our great capital cities have chosen hope and progressive vision and won,” Kumaran said.
Support from the Green, independent left
Green Party leader Zack Polanski told Sky News that Mamdani was “much cooler” than him, but said they shared “the same relentless focus on inequality.”
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader now sitting as an independent MP and a member of the newly formed Independent Alliance, described the result as “a seismic victory.”
“You ignited a grassroots campaign built on the radical idea that everyone deserves to live in dignity,” he said. “This is a seismic victory -- not only for the people of New York, but for all those who believe that humanity and hope can prevail.”
Other members of the Independent Alliance, including MPs Ayoub Khan and Shockat Adam, also praised Mamdani’s win, with Khan calling it “a new dawn” that would “spread across the globe.”
Zarah Sultana, another former Labour MP who is working with Corbyn to form a new leftwing party, also posted her congratulations on social media.
