Sadiq Khan responds to Zack Polanski in Urdu during London Assembly

During a London Assembly session, Mayor Sadiq Khan responded to a question from Green Party leader Zack Polanski in Urdu. The exchange occurred after Polanski released a campaign video in Urdu for a by-election, a move that drew criticism from Conservative shadow communities secretary Katie Lam, who described the video as ‘poisonous’.

Polanski had questioned the Mayor regarding the impact of data centres on London’s clean water and energy supplies, asking if the Mayor would block projects that threaten these resources. Khan initially answered in English but transitioned to Urdu for his follow-up, remarking to the Assembly Chair that he assumed Polanski was proficient in the language.

Polanski expressed dissatisfaction with the exchange, noting that the time should have been devoted to the climate crisis. Khan stated that data centres would only be approved if they are ‘clean and sustainable’ and later apologized to Urdu speakers for his accent.