Trump doesn’t deserve UK’s state visit: London Mayor Sadiq Khan

LONDON: Mayor Sadiq Khan recently said that British Prime Minister Theresa May should withdraw the state visit invitation to US President Donald Trump over his extremely hostile views on Muslims and the immigrants.

In an exclusive interview with Geo News here at the opening of a local business in Tooting – his home constituency, the mayor said that Trump stands against the American and British values of tolerance, humanity, and goodwill. “There is no need to invite Donald Trump on a state visit. His policies on Muslims and refugees are dangerous for the world," Khan stated.

The mayor advised May to be courageous and tell Trump that the ban on Muslims and refugees is wrong. "We should have good relations with the world,” he said, explaining that the US is seen as a "beacon of tolerance, many of us have American friends, and historically, America is a great country, which has welcomed immigrants".

Rolling out the red carpet may send out "a worrying signal to the world", Khan stressed.

Disagreement with May

In other news, Khan earlier criticised May for calling the snap general elections. "[They] should have been held in 2020. There was no reason for these elections to be called at an earlier date," he commented.

Explaining his stance, the mayor said he believes that May desires to win by landslide in these polls. "She wants a bigger victory, so she can negotiate an extremely hard Brexit."

With Brexit already starting to weigh in on the British people, tougher terms will result in "a loss of jobs, loss of opportunities, and loss of growth", Khan highlighted.

"We stand for social justice, for our NHS, for the welfare of all, and for a strong European Union,” the mayor underscored, urging the voters to opt for Labour Party.

On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan’s brother-in-law Zac Goldsmith, who lost to the London Mayor last year, has announced to stand from the Richmond Park constituency on the Tory ticket.

However, Sadiq Khan called him an “extremist”, who believes in “divisive politics”, adding that "in the last 12 months, he has lost two elections and I hope he loses the third one too”.

'Keep London the greatest city in the world'

Sadiq Khan was voted in as the Mayor of London almost a year ago following a challenging battle that saw him being smeared openly in the national media and public discourse.

“I remember that," Khan reminisces. "Nobody thought that I will become the mayor of London, the world’s greatest city. My detractors said that it's impossible for someone like me to become the London mayor," especially since he comes from a Muslim and Pakistani background.

Nevertheless, Khan secured victory and has garnered praise for keeping his promises. "We have been delivering on our promises: freezing the transport fares, initiating night tubes, supporting small businesses to open up, keeping our cities safe in the face of terrorism, and bringing people together," he said.

The Brexit referendum has raised concerns for Londoners, and Khan has been trying his best to restore their faith. "I have spent time talking to businesses to keep London the greatest city in the world,” the mayor mentioned.

With regard to the new wave of terrorism popping up around the globe, Khan also spoke about the recent terror attacks in the heart of London. Terrorism is a reality “for our generation”, he stated.

Khan said that the attacks in New York, Paris, Berlin, Istanbul, and Pakistan show how much damage they are causing. He said, "We should be vigilant and never be complacent. Our police services are fantastic and they are working very hard. They need our cooperation and our help. If anyone has information on anything suspicious, please tell the police."

Paying tribute to London's police service for doing a fantastic job, the mayor said, "During 07/07 terror attacks in London, those who were killed included Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others. […] Our duty is to work with the police and security services to keep us safe.”