Sir Sadiq Khan has dubbed Donald Trump “racist, sexist, misogynistic” and “Islamophobic” in the latest in a long-running war of words between the feuding pair.
It came after Mr Trump branded Sir Sadiq a “terrible mayor” in a stinging attack over immigration and carbon-reduction policies.
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the US president said: “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it’s been changed, it’s been so changed.
“Now they want to go to sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that.”
Responding to Mr Trump’s remarks on Wednesday, Sir Sadiq told Sky News: “People are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, progressive, successful city that means I appear to be living rent-free inside Donald Trump’s head.”
Asked whether the US president’s remarks were Islamophobic, the mayor said: “Listen, when people say things, when people act in a certain way, when people behave in a certain way, you’ve got to believe them.
“I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he’s Islamophobic.”
Responding to the US president’s accusation that he is a “terrible mayor”, Sir Sadiq added: “I’m just thankful that we have record numbers of Americans coming to London...
“There must be a reason for that. You look at a number of different criteria, we’re often the number one city in the globe when it comes to culture, when it comes to foreign investment, when it comes to sports, when it comes to the ability of people to fulfil their potential.
“I’m really proud we are the greatest city in the world, long may that continue.”
Labour MPs rallied to Sir Sadiq’s defence after Mr Trump’s attack.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the mayor was “not trying to impose sharia law on London” but instead saying he is “a mayor who marches with Pride, who stands up for difference of background and opinion, who’s focused on improving our transport, our air, our streets, our safety, our choices and chances”.
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq described Mr Trump’s comments as “blatant, bare-faced lies”, while Rosena Allin-Khan, Sir Sadiq’s successor as MP for Tooting, called for the US ambassador to be summoned over the remarks.
Meanwhile, work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden dismissed the president’s attack, saying that Mr Trump had had “a beef” with Sir Sadiq for years.
He told BBC Breakfast: “As regards the United Kingdom, on the comments on London, look, I just think it’s a misreading of our great capital city.
“This is a big asset to the United Kingdom. It’s known all over the world, it’s a big engine of our economy, of creativity.”
Speaking to Times Radio, he added, “I think the two of them have had a beef for some years.”
Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked Sir Sadiq since 2015, when the Labour politician condemned the then-presidential hopeful’s suggestion that Muslims should be banned from travelling to the US.
During last week’s state visit, the president said Sir Sadiq was “among the worst mayors in the world” and claimed he had asked that the mayor not attend events during the visit.
Sir Sadiq said he was “indifferent to President Trump” and had “more important things to worry about”.
