Cabinet minister Wes Streeting defends London Mayor Sadiq Khan while Pat McFadden suggests the US President Donald Trump has misread ‘our great capital city’
Donald Trump’s claim London wants sharia law is a “misreading of our great capital city”, Cabinet minister Pat McFadden has said.
Keir Starmer’s top minister’s comments came after the US President stoked his long-running feud with the “terrible” Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
In an address to the UN General Assembly, Mr Trump said: “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible terrible mayor, and it’s been so changed, so changed.” During his outburst, the American leader added: “Now they want to go to sharia law.”
Responding to the comments, Mr McFadden told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday: “Well, I’m here at Selhurst Park, in south London, where we don’t have sharia law. We have British law. It’s a great capital city we have, I think it’s a great asset we have to the UK. I’m afraid I differ from the President on that.”
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The Work and Pensions Secretary added: “On the comments on London, I just think it’s a misreading of our great capital city. This is a big asset to the United Kingdom, it’s known all over the world.
“It’s a big engine of our economy, of creativity. London’s a great city, and I’m proud of it as our capital city and I think it’s really important to the UK.”
A spokesman for Sir Sadiq said of Mr Trump last night: “We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.” They added: “London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting added he was “not trying to impose sharia law on London” but was “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”.
Labour MPs also rallied to Sir Sadiq’s defence. The senior Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee added: “I’ve known Sadiq Khan for over 30 years.
“He’s a feminist, a socialist & an LGBTQ+ ally. I’m so proud he’s our London mayor. For the record, he’s as interested in introducing Sharia Law to London as I am – ie 0%. Those who suggest otherwise are deluded, or have a [very] sinister agenda.”
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.
She posted on X: “The US Ambassador should be summoned and challenged over Trump’s rampant Islamophobia. Trump continually spreads lies. In London, we celebrate our diversity and reject racists and bigots. London is the greatest city in the world in huge part due to Sadiq Khan’s leadership.”
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