In his interviews this morning Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, also dismissed Donald Trump’s false claim yesterday that Sadiq Khan is introducing sharia law in London, where he is the Labour mayor.
Some Labour MPs have reacted very angrily to the claim, which Trump made in the course of a provacative and rambling speech to the United Nations, accusing the president of Islamophobia.
But McFadden dismissed it more diplomatically, almost laughing it off.
Asked on BBC Breakfast what he thought of Trump’s sharia law claim, McFadden replied:
Well, I’m here at Selhurst Park in south London where we don’t have sharia law, we have British law.
It’s a great capital city that we have. I think it’s a great asset to the UK. And I’m afraid I differ from the president on that.
McFadden also said Trump had had “a good state visit”.
Asked again about the sharia law claim, McFadden said:
I just think it’s a misreading of our great capital city.
In a separate interview with Times Radio, McFadden said Trump and Khan had “had a beef for some years”.
Last night Emily Thornberry, the chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, joined those Labour MPs condemning Trump more robustly over this. She posted this on social media.
I’ve known @SadiqKhan for over 30 yrs. He’s a feminist, a socialist & an LGBTQ+ ally. I’m so proud he’s our London mayor. For the record, he’s as interested in introducing Sharia Law to London as I am - ie 0%. Those who suggest otherwise are...
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