Tube strikes: Sadiq Khan booed at NME awards over London Underground strike action

‘Nice to completely miss the mark and have Sadiq Khan at the NME awards… when he could be sorting out the Tube strike mess,’ said one attendee

Sadiq Khan was booed by the audience at the NME Awards on Thursday night (3 March) over the Tube strikes that have enraged commuters this week.

Major tube strikes have affected the entire London Underground network this week, with mass walk-outs on Tuesday (1 March) and Thursday (3 March). The dispute is over jobs, pensions and working conditions.

Khan was at the music awards ceremony last night (2 March) to present a prize for Best Solo Act From the UK.

After taking the stage, the London was quickly booed by the crowd, prompting his co-presenter Ghetts to joke that the mayor’s poor reception was over London’s congestion charge.

While on stage, he took the opportunity to make a dig at the prime minister for the Downing Street Christmas parties, saying: “This is how you have a safe and legal party.”

Attendees at the show, where Irish punk band Fontaine DC were named Best Band in the World, tweeted about Khan’s poor reception, with one posting three skull emojis and the words: “Everyone booed Sadiq Khan.”

Another added: “NME awards tonight was painful. Sound was the worst I’ve ever experienced… couldn’t understand anyone for 80% of it. Daisy and LL chemistry was mega uncomfortable. Best part was when sadiq khan got huge boos.”

Fontaines DC (AFP via Getty Images)

A third wrote: “Nice to completely miss the mark and have @SadiqKhan at the @NME awards farting around and trying to take the piss out of Boris Johnson’s party at a party, when he could be sorting out the tube strike mess. Instead people who have to work in the morning get screwed over by strike.”

Punk-grime duo Bob Vylan, who presented Reading & Leeds with the award for Best Festival in the UK, said on stage: “Sadiq Khan is in the house you know?

“Sadiq you need to sort these trains out. Do you understand? You have to keep this city moving bro because people need to get to work you understand? Come on we’ve gotta do better.”

Big winners of the night include Newcastle singer Sam Fender, who scooped two gongs, including Best Album in the World for his record Seventeen Going Under, while Halsey took the Innovation Award, and Neneh Cherry was honoured with the Icon Award.