London’s Muslim mayor caught off guard on stage by lyrics about Christ
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Photo: zimamagazine.com
In early December 2025, London Mayor Sadiq Khan found himself in an awkward moment at a Christmas concert when a line about the birth of Christ was sung on stage.
The incident took place during a festive performance where Khan had been invited to come on stage and offer a greeting. As he stood beside the choir performing a traditional Christian hymn, the line “Christ is born, the newborn King” rang out. The mayor’s reaction was immediate – the camera caught him faltering, his expression changing as he tried to maintain composure.
Video shows Khan glancing around uneasily, forcing a smile, and then applauding at the end of the verse, clearly attempting to smooth over the sudden awkwardness. But the moment had already been noticed by the audience and quickly began circulating online.
Social media users have been actively discussing the clip, pointing out the mayor’s obvious discomfort at hearing lyrics central to Christian worship tradition. Many found the episode symbolic – especially against the backdrop of ongoing debates over the role of traditional Christian holidays in multicultural, multifaith London.
Sadiq Khan has served as London’s mayor since 2016 and was re-elected for a third term in May 2024 – a record for the city. The 54-year-old mayor was born into a large Pakistani immigrant family.
Political commentators note that the incident highlights once again the growing tension over how willing British officials are to take part in events with overtly religious content, especially when that content is explicitly Christian.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that a teacher in Britain was fired for saying that England is a Christian country.
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London’s mayor, a practicing Muslim, appeared visibly uncomfortable during a Christmas hymn when the choir reached the line, “Christ is born, the newborn King.”
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