May 21, 2023
2 mins read

London mayor says death threats left him with PTSD

Khan, who will challenge for a third term next year, told the interviewer that he “lost his mojo” during lockdowns as coronavirus had its own effect on his mental health as well…reports Asian Lite News

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that dealing with the aftermath of disasters and receiving death threats since taking office have left him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Khan described it as a “cumulative” type of PTSD, while stressing that he was not equating it to the PTSD endured by refugees or people who had faced similar experiences.

Khan, who will challenge for a third term next year, told the interviewer that he “lost his mojo” during lockdowns as coronavirus had its own effect on his mental health as well.

“I didn’t have clarity of thinking. I wasn’t so sparky. I wasn’t inspiring my team,” the 52-year-old said.

The mayor said that his security entourage offers “the same level of protection the prime minister and the king receive,” adding that dealing with death threats and the aftermath of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire have affected his mental health.

He said that he had been told by a friend, a doctor, that he was suffering from a “cumulative” version of PTSD.

Khan was quoted as saying: “By the way, I’m not comparing what I am going through to some of the stuff people go through — as a lawyer, my clients with PTSD were asylum seekers and refugees.

“I would never give equivalence to what I am going through. Nor would I ever want people to feel sorry for me. I’m very privileged to do the job I do.

“By the way, if this means I’m a snowflake, so be it, right? Mental health is fragile if it’s not looked after. And I shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it.”

Khan also discussed the issue of housing, saying that his daughters are still living with him due to London’s shortage of reasonably priced accommodation.

“If I was speaking to you 20 years ago, I’d be saying, I’m worried about cleaners and bus drivers not being able to live in London. Now it’s nurses, doctors, teachers. My children have finished their degrees and are living at home,” he said.

“By 2030, one in three 30-year-olds will still be living with their mum and dad. I love my kids, but I want them to leave at some stage, right? So, we’ve got to fix the housing crisis. I was 24 when I bought my first home. That’s unthinkable now.”

Khan said that he hopes to serve six terms as mayor in order to create a London “that can have our children feeling they have a future rather than being worried about what the future holds.”

ALSO READ-Smoke and Lime || Kolkata Roots Supper Club in London by Chef Sohini Banerjee

Previous Story

China pips Japan in car exports

Next Story

Boris set to become a dad for eighth time at 58

Latest from -Top News

Texas flash floods kill at least 24; Trump vows help

President calls tragedy ‘shocking’ as search for missing continues overnight At least 24 people have died in Kerr County, Texas, after catastrophic flooding swept through the region, prompting a large-scale rescue and

UK MPs Slam Pakistan Over Minority Abuses

Minority communities such as Shias, Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis continue to face harassment, violence, and intimidation. In many cases, law enforcement either turns a blind eye or enables the attacks through inaction…reports

Words Won’t Stop China, Quad Must Deliver

 If the Quad aims to counterbalance China’s growing influence, it must expand its focus beyond the maritime domain and address the continental dynamics of the Indo-Pacific…writes Imran Khurshid Despite early concerns that

India Stays Neutral on Dalai Lama Succession

As exiled Tibetan spiritual leader approaches his 90th birthday, he asserted on Wednesday that there will be the 15th reincarnation…reports Asian Lite News Responding to the Dalai Lama’s recent remarks, India on

USAID cut could kill 14 million more deaths

Human rights advocates and global health experts have expressed alarm at the speed and scale of the cuts…reports Asian Lite News A new study published in The Lancet has warned that ongoing
Go toTop

Don't Miss

British Airways announces additional flights from India to London

UK government moved India from ”red” list to ”amber” list

Mahabharata: A spectacular retelling of the ancient Sanskrit epic, by Canada’s Why Not Theatre at Barbican London

Why Not Theatre’s Mahabharata is the first major international adaptation