Jemima Khan, Zac Goldsmith's Sister, Attacks His London Mayoral Election Campaign

Jemima Khan is not happy with his attacks on Sadiq.
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What must have been an already tough day for Zac Goldsmith took an even more personal turn this evening when his own sister attacked his London Mayoral election campaign.

Jemima's comments came just as Labour's Sadiq Khan was declared the next Mayor of London, in what has been an increasingly poisonous race.

Towards the end of the campaign Tory attacks on Khan increasingly tried to link him to Islamic extremism and terrorism.

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Jemima is associate editor of New Statesman and European editor-at-large for Vanity Fair.
Paul Hackett / Reuters

Earlier in the day Andrew Boff, the former leader of the London Assembly’s Conservative group, called the smears "outrageous" and "a mistake".

He said: "I don’t think it was dog whistle, because you can’t hear a dog whistle. Everybody could hear this.

“It was effectively saying that people of conservative religious views are not to be trusted and you shouldn’t share a platform with them and that’s outrageous.”

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Zac Goldsmith after casting his vote today.
Matt Dunham/AP

 

“I was really troubled by one particular aspect [of the campaign] and that’s when he started equating people with conservative religious views with sympathising with terrorism. That sent a message out to many of the communities in London that’s very difficult to justify.”

Sayeeda Warsi also made he opinions more than clear. 

The attacks didn't have the desired effect however, and the Tooting MP was announced as the winner on Friday evening evening, ending eight years of Conservative-rule in the capital.

The attacks on Khan didn't have the desired effect however, and the Tooting MP was announced as the winner on Friday evening evening, ending eight years of Conservative-rule in the capital.

During the campaign, Khan told the HuffPost UK he felt his rival’s negative campaign was putting ethnic minorities off taking part in politics.

He said: “How do you think they feel when – and I say this without hubris or arrogance – a mainstream British Muslim, someone who has spent his life lecturing British Muslims about getting involved in mainstream society and civic society is treated this way?

“I’ve already had people approaching me saying ‘you know, do you really think I’m going to encourage my nephew and niece, son and daughter, to get involved in politics if this is the way that you’re treated?’

“That’s why I’m disappointed in Zac. Zac should know better and Zac does know better and one of the things when you’re a candidate is you receive advice all the time.”