Donald Trump‘s claim that Sir Sadiq Khan wants to introduce Sharia law in London is ‘nonsense’, the Prime Minister said today.
In his first comments on the US President’s latest attack on London’s mayor, Sir Keir Starmer labelled Mr Trump’s remarks as ‘ridiculous’.
He also threw his support behind Sir Sadiq, his fellow Labour politician, as a ‘very good man’ who is ‘driving down serious crime‘ in the capital.
The PM vowed to have a ‘frank conversation’ with Mr Trump but played down the impact of the US President’s feud with the London mayor on wider UK-US relations.
In a rambling speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Mr Trump said London had ‘a terrible, terrible mayor’.
‘It’s been changed, it’s been so changed,’ the US President added. ‘Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that.’
Speaking to ITV London on Thursday, Sir Keir was quizzed about Mr Trump’s explosive comments.
‘Well, as you saw from the state visit last week, there’s lots that the President and I agree on and we work together on,’ the PM replied.
Donald Trump’s claim that Sir Sadiq Khan wants to introduce Sharia law in London is ‘nonsense’, Sir Keir Starmer has said
In a rambling speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Mr Trump said London had ‘a terrible, terrible mayor’
In his first comments on the US President’s latest attack on London’s mayor, Sir Keir Starmer labelled Mr Trump’s remarks as ‘ridiculous’
Sir Keir added: ‘There’s a few things we disagree about. This is one of them. The idea of the introduction of Sharia law is nonsense.
‘And Sadiq Khan is a very good man and actually driving down serious crime. So as I say, there’s a lot I agree with, with President Trump. We get along.
‘We had a good state visit last week, but on this I disagree with him. The Sharia law comments were ridiculous.’
Asked if he would call out Mr Trump on his comments about Sir Sadiq when he next speaks to the US President, Sir Keir said: ‘Oh, of course, we have a frank conversation about many, many things.
‘But I want to express my support for our mayor Sadiq Khan. We’re very proud to have a Muslim [mayor] in our diverse city.’
Sir Sadiq on Wednesday branded Mr Trump as racist, sexist and Islamophobic as he hit back at the US President’s comments.
The PM declined to repeat Sir Sadiq’s assessment of Mr Trump, insisting he didn’t want to get drawn into a ‘war of words’.
‘I’m absolutely clear, on the issues where I agree with the President, we have to work together,’ he added.
‘Of course, a very, very important relationship between our two countries.
‘But equally, I’m very proud of our capital city and very proud of our mayor here, who’s doing a very good job.’
Sir Keir also dismissed a suggestion that the long-running feud between Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq was proving awkward for him in his dealings with the White House.
‘Oh, look, I mean, we are dealing with, global affairs on an ongoing basis with America, our closest ally,’ he said.
‘On defence, on security, on intelligence. That’s where most of my focus is.
‘My team are working with his team the whole time. Very few things we disagree on. But I’m very clear, this is this is one of them.’
