A Cabinet minister has distanced the Government from Sir Sadiq Khan’s warnings of a “resurgent fascism” ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq warned it is a “perilous moment”, writing in The Observer that “these are deeply worrying times, especially if you’re a member of a minority community”.
The comments come ahead of Mr Trump’s inauguration on Monday which will see him sworn into the White House for a second term.
Asked whether Sir Sadiq was wrong, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones told the BBC: “Yes, and I don’t agree with that.
“President-elect Trump won a enormous election victory in the United States as a democracy. We support democracy and the American people elected Donald Trump and the Republican Party.”
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Pushed further on the issue, Mr Jones suggested Sir Sadiq “is allowed” to make that case, “but I don’t agree with it”.
“I speak on behalf of the Government and we don’t agree with it,” he added.
“President-elect Trump has an important mandate in the United States and we look forward to working with him in the interests of both of our economies.”
Writing for The Observer on Sunday, Sir Sadiq pointed to the AfD in Germany, National Rally in France and Mr Trump in the US, calling for a “renewed and concerted effort to confront these forces and expose them for what they are: opportunists who seek to divide people for personal and political gain”.
He also wrote in the piece: “We should be in no doubt, this is a perilous moment. The spectre of a resurgent fascism haunts the west. ”
Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel is in Washington DC for the inauguration and hit back at Sir Sadiq’s “disparaging remarks”.
Speaking to Sky News on Sunday morning, she said: “It’s really not for politicians in other countries to start making disrespectful and disparaging comments about President-elect Trump.”
She added: “I’d urge Keir Starmer’s Government to step up to the plate right now.
“Start good, strong, solid negotiations into interactions with the Trump government, rather than making disparaging remarks, as we’ve just heard from Sadiq Khan and previous remarks that have been made by Labour ministers.”