Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel has launched a scathing attack on London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, claiming his warning of “fascism” in Western democracy is “completely unacceptable”.
Speaking on GB News, Patel delivered a sharp rebuke to Khan’s comments about the incoming US president.
“The reality is, President Trump is going to be inaugurated tomorrow in that building behind me. He has won a huge mandate,” Patel stated.
Khan’s warnings came in a strongly-worded article for the Observer, where he cautioned about a “century-defining battle against a resurgent far-right”.
Priti Patel has hit out at Sir Sadiq Khan’s remarks ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration
GB News / PA
The London Mayor warned that “the hard-right and far-right are on the march” across the developed world.
“These are deeply worrying times, especially if you’re a member of a minority community,” Khan wrote, drawing parallels with the 1920s and 30s.
Taking aim at Khan, Patel told The Camilla Tominey Show: “I think Sadiq Khan’s comments are absolutely unacceptable.
“There is so much that’s unacceptable about Sadiq Khan’s views and comments. Perhaps the mayor should really now just keep his views to himself, because Trump has a mandate and a big majority and we should respect that.”
The London Mayor has warned that western democracy is at risk from ‘resurgent fascism’ ahead of Trump’s inauguration
PA
Emphasising the importance of rebuilding UK-US relations, Patel highlighted the Conservative Party’s historical ties with the Republicans and claimed that the pressure is on Labour to “step up and rebuild links” with Trump.
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Patel explained: “I’ve been invited here by our sister party, the Republican Party. We have strong and enduring ties and links with our sister party. We’ve always stood shoulder to shoulder as two countries, and that’s where we should be again.
“The challenge and the onus now is on Sir Keir Starmer, his Labour Government, to step up and rebuild links and relationships with the Trump administration.”
Noting growing criticism of Labour’s approach to the incoming Trump administration, she added: “It is not surprising that the newspapers are speculating about what that relationship is going to be.
“It’s inevitable, primarily because Labour do not have a good, strong, solid track record, unlike the Conservative Party when it comes to working with the Trump government.”
Patel told GB News that Khan should ‘keep his views to himself’
GB News
Turning the discussion to Khan’s other criticisms of right-leaning leaders including Giorgia Meloni, Patel told GB News that Khan should avoid “giving a running commentary” about other world leaders.
Patel concluded: “I would also say the same about Khan’s comments about Giorgia Meloni, she has a mandate and a majority to run her country. It’s not for him to give a running commentary, it really isn’t.”
In his Observer piece, Khan highlighted the gathering of hard-right figures for Trump’s inauguration, including Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni and French politician Éric Zemmour.
He said: “The spectre of a resurgent fascism haunts the West. To ward off the far-right, we must be unflinching in defence of our democracy and values, and in our determination to enhance the welfare and material conditions of our communities.”
