Sadiq Khan hits back at ‘racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic’ Trump
Khan’s comments come after US president used speech at UN to call London mayor ‘terrible’
Sadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump, accusing the US president of being “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic” after he used a speech at the UN to call the London mayor “terrible” and claim the city was being steered toward “sharia law”.
Trump’s remarks on Tuesday night provoked anger among Labour figures, with the health secretary, Wes Streeting, praising Khan as someone who “stands up for difference of background and opinion”.
However, Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, a close ally of Keir Starmer, stopped short on Wednesday of commenting on Trump’s remarks about Khan. Instead, McFadden defended London’s reputation as a global city.
Khan later launched a blistering attack on Trump. He said: “I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist he is misogynistic and he’s Islamophobic.”
The London mayor also subtly criticised senior Labour figures, including the prime minister, for not calling out Trump’s rhetoric.
Trump has been publicly attacking the mayor of London since 2015, when Khan criticised the then presidential candidate for suggesting that Muslims should be banned from travelling to the US.
In an address to the UN general assembly, Trump said: “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it’s been changed, it’s been so changed. Now they want to go to sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that.”
Pressed on what he made of Trump’s description of him as a “terrible, terrible mayor”, Khan pointed to the record numbers of American visitors and investors choosing London.
He said: “Since records began, there’s only been a period where more Americans have come to London.
“There must be a reason for that. You look at a number of different criteria; we’re often the No 1 city in the globe when it comes to culture, when it comes to foreign investment, when it comes to sports, when it comes to the ability of people to fulfil their potential. I’m really proud we are the greatest city in the world.”
Khan did not directly criticise the prime minister, McFadden and others who are yet to directly call out Trump’s rhetoric, but he indicated “they should have the confidence to”, given the UK and US have a special relationship.
Asked whether Starmer should be befriending Trump, Khan said: “One of the things about having a special relationship, it’s akin to having a best friend. I think when you have a best friend, you should expect more from them.
“It’s very different to an acquaintance or somebody who’s just, you know, a distant friend. I think one of the advantages of having a special relationship with the USA is obviously when it comes to trade, when it comes to military alliances.
“When it comes to other areas, where we work closely together, but it should also mean you’ve got the confidence to call them out when they’re wrong. I think President Trump is wrong in many, many ways.”
Last week Trump described Khan as “among the worst mayors in the world” and claimed he had made sure Khan was not invited to the banquet he attended at Windsor. Sources close to the mayor said this was false.
McFadden referred to Trump’s long-running dispute with Khan and said: “I think the two of them have had a beef for some years.”
The work and pensions secretary, who was on the government morning media round, later described London as “a great capital city that we have” adding: “I think it’s a great asset to the UK. And I’m afraid I differ from the president on that.”
Nigel Farage said Trump was right to say that sharia law “is an issue” in London, adding: “Trump has a point.”
The Reform UK leader told LBC: “Never take what he [Trump] says literally, ever on anything. But always take everything he says seriously.”
He added: “So is he right to say that sharia is an issue in London? Yes. Is it an overwhelming issue at this stage? No. Has the mayor of London directly linked himself to it? No.”
Donald Trump is ‘racist, sexist and Islamophobic’, Sadiq Khan says after president’s attack on ‘terrible mayor’
The London mayor said he was ‘living rent free’ in Donald Trump’s head after he criticised the capital
Sadiq Khan has dubbed Donald Trump “racist, sexist, misogynistic” and “Islamophobic” following the US president’s latest criticisms of the London mayor.
It came after Mr Trump branded Sir Sadiq a “terrible mayor” in what is the latest episode in the pair’s long running war of words.
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the US president said: “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it’s been changed, it’s been so changed.
“Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that.”
Responding to Mr Trump’s remarks, Sir Sadiq told Sky News: “People are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, progressive, successful city that means I appear to be living rent free inside Donald Trump’s head.”
Asked whether the US president’s remarks were Islamophobic, the mayor said: “Listen, when people say things, when people act in a certain way, when people behave in a certain way, you’ve got to believe them.
“I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he’s Islamophobic.”
Responding to the US president’s accusation that he is a “terrible mayor”, Sir Sadiq added: “I’m just thankful that we have record numbers of Americans coming to London…
“There must be a reason for that. You look at a number of different criteria, we’re often the number one city in the globe when it comes to culture, when it comes to foreign investment, when it comes to sports, when it comes to the ability of people to fulfil their potential.
“I’m really proud we are the greatest city in the world, long may that continue.”
Labour MPs rallied to Sir Sadiq’s defence after Mr Trump’s attack, with health secretary Wes Streeting saying the mayor was “not trying to impose sharia law on London” but instead saying he is “a mayor who marches with Pride, who stands up for difference of background and opinion, who’s focused on improving our transport, our air, our streets, our safety, our choices and chances”.
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq described Mr Trump’s comments as “blatant bare-faced lies”, while Rosena Allin-Khan, Sir Sadiq’s successor as MP for Tooting, called for the US ambassador to be summoned over the remarks.
Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked Sir Sadiq since 2015, when the Labour politician condemned the then presidential hopeful’s suggestion that Muslims should be banned from travelling to the US.
During last week’s state visit, the president said Sir Sadiq was “among the worst mayors in the world” and claimed he had asked that the mayor not attend events during the visit.
Sir Sadiq said he was “indifferent to President Trump” and had “more important things to worry about”.
Donald Trump in new attack on Sadiq Khan with Katie Hopkins retweet
This article is more than 6 years old
US president refers to message about Met police twitter account, calling London mayor ‘incompetent’
Donald Trump has retweeted the British far-right commentator Katie Hopkins and launched another attack on Sadiq Khan.
Referring to a message from Hopkins that the Met’s Twitter account had been targeted by hackers on Friday night, in which she said officers had “lost control of London streets” and “lost control of their Twitter account too”, Trump tweeted: “With the incompetent mayor of London, you will never have safe streets!”
It is Trump’s latest move in an ongoing spat with Khan, during which he called the London mayor a “national disgrace” and “stone cold loser”, comments dismissed by the London mayor as childish.
Minutes before his latest jibe against Khan, Trump retweeted videos posted by Hopkins that supported the US president’s recent racist attacks on four US congresswomen.
Trump shared two messages from Hopkins praising his leadership and criticising Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her fellow Democrats widely known as “the Squad”.
Hopkins tweeted: “How I wish we had such leadership in the UK. Don’t like this country? Don’t like what it gives you? Then leave.”
Hopkins, who once wrote a column comparing migrants to “cockroaches” and “feral humans”, was last week banned from speaking at Eastbourne’s new conference centre.
Earlier this month Trump retweeted a tweet from Hopkins in which she praised a number of far-right politicians and said “the fightback by proud nations is on”.
