Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned Americans against the reelection of former President Trump.
“With all due respect to the American people, I don't think the American people realize that the world is watching because we are so invested in the game,” Khan said, according to the report. Interview with Politico.
“What happens in America is like a metronome, it sets the rhythm of what happens around the world,” Khan, who is in his third term as London mayor, told the outlet while visiting New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. “It sets the rhythm of how other politicians behave in election campaigns.”
According to Politico, Khan, a member of the left-leaning Labour Party, argued that Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his comments on women and immigrants are dangerous. He urged Americans to reflect on Trump's first term in office.
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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said Americans should not re-elect Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
Politico noted that Khan could be more bold in his support of Vice President Kamala Harris as US president than other British leaders such as Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to The Washington Post, Starmer this week became the first member of the Labour Party to address the party's annual conference as prime minister in 15 years. In his speech, he spoke about the need for “joy,” a catchphrase promoted by Harris' campaign.
Khan, who has publicly clashed with Trump in the past and has openly called the Republican presidential candidate a racist, sexist and homophobe, has labelled the upcoming US election as one of crucial importance. Trump has also criticised Khan, calling him a “cold loser who should focus on crime in London” during the 2019 mayoral election.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan smiles during the first day of the Labour Party's annual conference on September 22, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Oli Scarfe/AFP via Getty Images)
“Please register to vote and make sure you vote,” Khan told Politico this week, “because the election on November 5th is, in my opinion, the most important election of your lifetime.”
Politico also asked Khan about the worst unrest the UK has seen in years following the mass knife attack in Southport this summer.
The mayor said politicians in the UK and US should focus on addressing issues around health, housing and education “rather than fuelling fears”.
“The oldest tactic is blaming others,” Khan said. “The oldest tactic is to target a community or a minority and create a situation where they are held responsible for the problems.”
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In London, mass protests, arson and riots followed the stabbing deaths of three girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Southport district. Authorities blamed online speculation that the perpetrator was an immigrant Islamic extremist for sparking “far-right” protests and violent clashes with police. Around 1,000 people were reportedly arrested.
Far-right activists protested in Sunderland, England, on August 2, 2024, chanting “enough is enough”. The riots were sparked by rumors spread through social media after three girls were murdered in Southport earlier this week. (Dric/Getty Images)
Eight children and two adults were seriously injured in the knife attack on July 29. Authorities later identified the attacker as 17-year-old Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, according to the BBC. He is charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
In the interview, Mr Khan defended Mr Starmer, who has been embroiled in controversy in his first three months in office over donations, cuts to winter fuel allowances for retirees and a drop in his approval ratings.
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“It's been difficult. Of course it's difficult. It's hard to run things, but I would prefer that Keir Starmer is honest with the British people and makes the tough decisions, rather than things being swept under the rug and buried,” Khan told Politico. “That means sometimes you have to make decisions that are unpopular in the short term but that benefit you in the medium and long term.”
