Sadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump after the US President launched a scathing attack on the mayor and London.
The mayor branded Trump “racist” and “Islamophobic” over comments made during a speech at the UN General Assembly.
"I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he is Islamophobic”, Sir Sadiq said on Wednesday.
"When people say things, when people act in a certain way, when people behave in a certain way, you've got to believe them," he added.
The US President branded Sir Sadiq a “terrible terrible mayor” and claimed the capital wants to “go to sharia law” at his speech on Tuesday.
Sharia is Islam's legal system. Labour MPs have jumped to the defence of Sir Sadiq, who is London’s first Muslim mayor.
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden on Wednesday said the two men have “had a beef for some years”.
“I'm sitting here in Crystal Palace football ground launching a youth club here today and I can assure you it's not Sharia law, it's British law that applies here”, the work and pensions secretary told Times Radio.
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq called the comments “poppycock” and “complete cobblers”, adding that “someone should have a word” with the President over the “unhinged” speech.
Rosena Allin Khan, who replaced Sir Sadiq as the MP for Tooting, said the US ambassador to the UK should be summoned by the Government over the remarks.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said: “Sadiq Khan is not trying to impose Sharia Law on London.
“This 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. Proud he’s our mayor.”
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said: “We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.
“London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
Trump's second state visit to the UK last week included no public-facing engagements in London, with events with the King in Windsor and the Prime Minister in Chequers rather than Downing Street.
In his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, Trump 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."
He said that "Europe is in serious trouble" because it was being "invaded by a force of illegal aliens".
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Trump was right to say that sharia law is "an issue in London".
Speaking during an LBC phone-in, he said: "Never take what he says literally, ever on anything, but always take everything he says seriously."
But he said Trump “has a point”. Mr Farage added: "So is he right to say that sharia is an issue in London? Yes.
“Is it an overwhelming issue at this stage? No.
“Has the mayor of London directly linked himself to it? No.”
He added: “I think what Trump was aiming at with his big pitch that the West (is) going to hell is it's in danger of losing its culture, its heritage, its identity... Look at Stockholm.
“Look at parts of Germany. Look at what the mass importation of people who come from very different cultures has done to those cities."
