Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says it would be inappropriate for Britain to invite Donald Trump on a state visit. Photo / AP
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says it would be inappropriate for Britain to invite Donald Trump on a state visit. Photo / AP
London's Mayor Sadiq Khan said US President Donald Trump is wrong about "many things" and he's not in favour of a state visit following the President's reaction to the London terror attack.
The Labour leader, who is the first Muslim mayor of London said he did not think the US leader should be offered a state visit having previously moved to ban travellers from Muslim-majority countries and tightened US policy on refugees.
He told BBC Breakfast on Tuesday "nothing" has changed his mind on that issue after Trump criticised Khan on Twitter for his reaction to the terror attacks.
"When Theresa May first invited him on a state visit to our country at a time when he was proposing a travel ban on Muslims, changing the American policy on refugees I said it was inappropriate for us to be rolling out the red carpet for Donald Trump. Nothing has changed my mind."
"Of course we should have cordial relations with our closest ally. Of course we have a special relationship and one of the things about having a special relationship - it's like having mates, you stand shoulder to shoulder with them at times of adversity but you call them out when they're wrong and there are so many things Donald Trump is wrong about. In those circumstances I'm not in favour of a state visit," he said.
President Donald Trump has criticised the mayor of London in a series of tweets. Photo / AP
Seven people were killed and 48 injured in the terror attack at London Bridge and Borough Market including Australian woman Kirsty Boden. Andrew Morrison and Candice Hedge were injured while there are fears for a missing woman, Sara Zelenak.
President Trump tweeted after the rampage: "At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!
"That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!
"Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his 'no reason to be alarmed' statement. MSM is working hard to sell it!"
Khan's office said the Mayor had "more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks".
In fact, Khan's "no reason to be alarmed" statement was made in response to the increased police numbers people would see around the city. He has repeatedly condemned the "poisonous" perversion of Islam used to justify terror attacks.
Trump's statement was branded "false" by fact-checking website Politifact.
"Personally as a patriotic British Muslim I'm angry because these three terrorists are using a poisonous perverse interpretation of the faith that I belong to to justify their actions. It's not in my name, it's nothing to do with the religion I belong to," Khan told the BBC.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said she thought Khan was doing an "excellent" job leading the city, but refused to criticise Trump on Monday.
White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump was not starting a feud with Khan and denied he was having a go at him because he was Muslim when asked why Trump had misquoted him.
"I don't think that's actually true. I think the media wants to spin it that way," she said.
