London mayor welcomes Trump's decision to cancel visit

Mayor Sadiq Khan says Londoners are opposed to Donald Trump's policies and would have protested during his visit.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Londoners made it clear that Donald Trump is not welcome there.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Londoners made it clear that Donald Trump is not welcome there. Source: EPA

Donald Trump has "got the message" that many Londoners are staunchly opposed to his policies and actions, mayor Sadiq Khan said.

The London mayor - who has clashed with the president in the past - said a visit by Trump would have been met by "mass peaceful protests".

The US president confirmed on Twitter that he would not visit the UK to cut the ribbon on the new US embassy building in south London.

Trump said he thought the embassy's move from Grosvenor Square in Mayfair to Nine Elms, south of the Thames, was a "bad deal" and the building was in an "off location".

"(The) reason I cancelled my trip to London is that I am not a big fan of the Obama Administration having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for "peanuts," only to build a new one in an off location for 1.2 billion dollars," Trump said in a tweet late on Thursday.

"Bad deal. Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!"

But the prospect of demonstrations against his appearance could also have been a factor in the president's decision to cancel the visit, Khan said.

"It appears that President Trump got the message from the many Londoners who love and admire America and Americans but find his policies and actions the polar opposite of our city's values of inclusion, diversity and tolerance.

"His visit next month would without doubt have been met by mass peaceful protests.

"This just reinforces what a mistake it was for Theresa May to rush and extend an invitation of a state visit in the first place.

"Let's hope that Donald Trump also revisits the pursuit of his divisive agenda."

Khan, who has led opposition to the prospect of a visit by the US president, had a row with Mr Trump over the response to the London Bridge terror attack last June.

President Trump fired off a series of critical tweets over Khan's handling of the attack, mocking the mayor's comments that there was "no reason to be alarmed" over armed police on the streets.

The row between Trump and Khan saw the US president dismiss criticism of his original post on the subject by redoubling his attack, accusing Mr Khan of making a "pathetic excuse".


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world