UK values led to London’s first Muslim mayor

Readers discuss Sadiq Khan becoming London's mayor. Other topics: water bottles, animal rights and airline responsibility.

London mayor Sadiq Khan won despite being snubbed by opposing candidates Carl Court / Getty Images

With regard to your news article (Sadiq Khan is elected London's first Muslim mayor, May 7), the real reason why he was voted in is because Britain is a secular society.

No religion stands above another and many Britons are atheists or not affiliated to religious faiths. He was voted in because the voters of London wanted a mayor who was a Londoner and who would represent Londoners.

This vote represents the mindset of society in relation to religion. His faith didn’t matter. That’s the point. He started his life as the son of a working class immigrant who chose to work hard and immerse himself into the secular and accepting British culture.

He worked hard in his own right. He is proud to be British and proud to be a Londoner. That’s why he was voted in: the British admire these qualities.

The other contender didn’t get voted in because to many he represents greed, wealth, and the upper class, not because he is English.

Ali McDonald, Abu Dhabi

Some have wondered why there is such a strong focus on Khan’s father’s job as a bus driver.

The rich and the poor don’t have the same opportunities or go to the same schools. Middle-class families cannot afford private school education in the UK, where schools like Eton cost more than £34,000 per year.

Also more than half of top civil servants went to private schools and those who are in power didn’t actually receive the same education as the majority of their middle-class constituencies.

In addition, if you compare the two countries (the UK and Pakistan), a bus driver doesn’t have the same lifestyle nor the same opportunities in the latter. It’s not about the job being respectable – that was never the question.

Shazily Munawar, Abu Dhabi

It’s a shame opportunity isn’t afforded everywhere. Skill, intelligence and grit should always triumph over a birthright.

Sara Ahmadi Derfus, US

Administrators need to be good and really, that is the only thing that matters, regardless of religion, ethnicity, who their father was or what job he did.

Heather Tarjama, Abu Dhabi

Not every water bottle is bad

In relation to your story, Bottled water 'more harmful than UAE's tap water' (May 3), the claim that plastic bottles contain bisphenol A is not always correct.

Virtually all single and convenience-size bottles of soft drinks and water are made of PET resin. PET does not contain bisphenol A.

There’s some confusion because bisphenol A is used in some reusable sports bottles, which are casually referred to as water bottles, while PET bottles may also be called the same thing. Bisphenol A is found in polycarbonate, which is a different type of plastic from which the material the water bottles referred to in your article are made.

PET does not leach chemicals, regardless of whether the bottle has been heated, microwaved, or left in a hot vehicle.

Name withheld by request

This issue could be easily solved with glass bottles, but it is down to the market and a glass bottle is over six times more expensive than the plastic one.

Glass bottles would have been a perfect way to start recycling and reuse schemes as well.

Valeriu Stanciu-Crainic, Dubai

This is an interesting article but I’m still scared of drinking the tap water here because mine comes out a bit discoloured when I first turn on the taps.

Hanka Karwinski, Dubai

Slow progress on animal rights

It was great to see this article (Slowly, progress is being made on animal rights, May 5), in a UAE newspaper. I hope the mentioned animal legislation comes into effect.

When I visited the UAE last month, I was shocked to see the tiny enclosures of the animals at Abu Dhabi Heritage Village. In this wealthy nation, it should only take a small effort to take better care of them.

Erwin Vermeulen, Netherlands

The UAE needs to stop hosting circus companies that use animals, it is inhumane to exploit these animals.

Natalie Wells, Abu Dhabi

Airline has a duty of care

With regard to your article, Etihad Airways to cover injured turbulence passengers' medical expenses (May 5), they have a duty of care to their passengers' welfare.

If passengers are ignoring seat belt signs, then the cabin crew should deal with them.

Zoe Shephard, Oman