Sadiq Khan is the Member of Parliament for Tooting, where he has lived all his life. He was first elected as MP for Tooting on 5th May 2005 and was returned on 6th May 2010.

He is Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice (with responsibility for political and constitutional reform), having been elected to the Shadow Cabinet on October 7th 2010.

He was previously Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, having previously served as the Minister of State for Transport under the previous government. 

In June 2009 Sadiq was appointed to the Privy Council and asked to attend Cabinet meetings. He was both the first Asian and the first Muslim to attend Cabinet.

Ministerial Career

As Minister of State for Transport Sadiq’s areas of responsibility included city and regional networks, buses and cycling, Crossrail, environment and climate change and integration with European transport networks. 

From October 2008 to June 2009 Sadiq was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government.  He had special responsibility for community cohesion, religion and belief, the fire and rescue service, race, preventing violent extremism, the valuation and tribunal service and planning and local government.

He helped pass the Business Rates (Supplement) Act and was the first Western Minister ever to visit the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, as part of a Ministerial visit in 2009.

Sadiq has also been a Minister in the Government Whip's Office where he had special responsibility for managing Ministry of Justice legislation. Prior to this he was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rt Hon Jack Straw MP.

Member of Parliament

Sadiq was a member of the prestigious Public Accounts Select Committee between 2005 and 2007.

He was awarded 'Newcomer of the Year' by the Spectator Magazine Parliamentarian of the Year awards 2005. He was runner-up in Channel 4's 'Rising Star' award, and was described as 'one to watch' by both The Independent and The New Statesman. In 2008, Sadiq was awarded the Muslim News Award for Excellence. (He was the first politician ever to be nominated for such an award).

Sadiq was one of the first MPs ever to take part in the VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) PolVol scheme. He has volunteered in Sierra Leone.

Before becoming a Minister Sadiq was very active as a backbencher in the Chamber, with a very high attendance record. He spoke in several debates including those on young people's participation in democracy, citizenship and integration, House of Lords reform, equalities legislation, the NHS, Legal Aid, Climate Change, Affordable Housing, International Development and the London 2012 Olympics.

Sadiq has been the Chair of the All Party Group of Citizens Advice Bureau, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Child and Youth Crime, Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Home Affairs Committee, and founder and former Chair of the Access For All Stakeholder Group.

In 2008 Sadiq was made a Fellow of the Industry and Parliament Trust, for his work in fostering understanding between business and parliament.


Before becoming MP

Prior to becoming the MP for Tooting, Sadiq was a Human Rights solicitor and was a founding partner of one of the country's leading Human Rights firms. In his last year as a practicing solicitor he was listed as one of the county's leading lawyers in two separate categories of law in the Chambers and Partners directory 2004-05 (Human Rights and Police law).

He has acted in a number of landmark cases in all major Courts (including the European Court of Human Rights, House of Lords, Court of Appeal), and Tribunals. Prior to being a MP, he wrote, lectured and appeared in the media on a range of issues. He co-authored Police Misconduct: Legal Remedies (LAG 4th edition 2005) and Challenging Racism; Using the Human Rights Act (Lawrence and Wishart 2003).

As a lawyer, Sadiq gave evidence to the Homes Affairs Select Committee on a number of occasions, and to the Privy Council of the House of Lords.

Sadiq was Chair of Liberty (NCCL) for 3 years and Vice Chair of Legal Action Group (LAG) for a number of years. He has advised a number of the country's major voluntary and community groups.

Sadiq has been a visiting lecturer at University of North London and London Metropolitan University, and is a former governor of South Thames FE College.

Sadiq was a Councillor for Tooting ward in the London Borough of Wandsworth from 1994 to 2006 (and was Deputy Leader of the Labour Group for 5 years). He was 23 when first elected and was responsible for the Conservative Council being required to change its policy on affordable housing, amongst other things.

He was awarded the title of Honorary Alderman for the London Borough of Wandsworth in June 2006.


Other interests

He is Chair of the Fabian Society, a patron of Progress and a member of Friends of the Earth and SERA.  He belongs to the GMB and UNISON trade unions and is a member of the CWU group of MPs.

In 2008 Sadiq authored the book 'Fairness Not Favours - How to connect with British Muslims', which won the Jenny Jeger award for best Fabian Society publication.


Sadiq is patron of the Polka Theatre Company and is also an active member of the UKPFC (UK Parliamentary Football Club) and the Lords and Commons Cricket Club.

Since 1994, he has been Governor of the primary school he attended as a child (in Tooting).

Between 2004-2008 he was also Chair of Governors of the country's first purpose built Islamic ethos primary school, which is in Tooting.  He is still a Governor of 2 primary schools.

Sadiq was born in St George's Hospital in Tooting in 1970. His early years were spent in a council flat in the Henry Prince Estate in Earlsfield. He attended local primary schools and the local comprehensive, Ernest Bevin Secondary School before going to University to study Law. He completed the Law Society Finals at the College of Law in Guildford.

Sadiq is an avid supporter of Liverpool Football Club and Surrey County Cricket Club respectively, and tries to watch them as often as is possible.

He was married  in 1994 in Wandsworth. Sadiq's wife, also a solicitor, was born and raised in Tooting. They have 2 daughters aged 10 and 8.