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The New Year's Eve fireworks received a warm welcome as thousands gathered on the banks of the Thames to usher in the New Year amid a sea of vibrant sparks. But seeing the sign "The Mayor of London Presents" as a precursor to the event put a damper on the crowd's spirits, who were enraged that the mayor, Sadiq Khan, was taking credit for a show paid for by the British taxpayers.
Infuriated citizens took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their outrage against Khan. One user mockingly called the fireworks:
"The Sadiq Khan Show."
Sadiq Khan was voted as Mayor of London in 2016. The 53-year-old politician is a member of the Labour Party and is London's first Muslim mayor and first ethnic minority mayor.
"What a shameless narcissist": viewers of the New Year's Eve fireworks enraged by Sadiq Khan
Citizens of London who gathered by the Thames River to watch the annual New Year's Eve fireworks were left with a sour taste in their mouths as the words "The Mayor of London Presents" flashed before the fireworks began.
British taxpayers were angered to see the mayor take credit for a show created using their money. Here are some of the reactions on X.
And it's not just social media that is rioting against this. Ben Habib, deputy leader of Reform UK, in a statement to the Express, said:
“I had mistakenly always thought the London fireworks to be ours; a celebration of London and the United Kingdom in the year just past. I now know we only have them courtesy of Sadiq Khan. We see through you Khan. You are narcissistic. You hold the United Kingdom, its people, culture, history and values in contempt. You are a force for division. I have a few wishes for 2024. Top of the list: please God remove Khan from office.”
Reform UK's London Mayoral candidate Howard Cox added:
"New Year Celebrations, should be exactly that, a celebration of new opportunities and optimism entering 2024. It should not be a platform for a political agenda from a such a despised Mayor that has an ego the size of his massive deficit."
Matthew Goodwin-Freeman, a councillor in the London Borough of Harrow, posted a tweet that said:
“They're OUR fireworks Mr Mayor, not yours. Talk about an ego trip!”
The New Year's Eve fireworks dazzled the night sky as Londoners welcomed 2024
The weather brought grey skies and mild showers, but that did not stop 100,000 people from gathering along the banks of the Thames River to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks. The 12-minute-long fireworks display rang in the New Year with a spectacular production of colors and lights.
According to the Mirror, lucky ticket holders gathered around to watch the 12,000 fireworks, accompanied by the bongs of Big Ben, marking a century since the first time these iconic bongs were first broadcast over the radio.
This New Year's Eve fireworks display was claimed to be the biggest display ever, as reported by the Greater London Authority. The themes of the New Year's Eve display included climate change, the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, and the tenth anniversary of the legalization of same-s*x marriage.
