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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has intensified his counter-attack against US President Donald Trump, who recently used his platform at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to launch a baseless and inflammatory claim that London is seeking to introduce Sharia law under Khan's leadership. The allegation has been widely dismissed by UK political figures and fact-checkers as "ridiculous nonsense" with zero credible evidence.
The controversy erupted when President Trump, during his UN speech on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, called Khan a "terrible mayor" and stated, "Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can't do that." While Trump used the vague term "they," the comment was clearly aimed at the UK capital's leadership, which is led by its first Muslim mayor.
Khan's Razor-Sharp Retort
Speaking at a Labour Conference fringe event in Liverpool, Mayor Khan not only dismissed the claim with humour but also issued a fierce, direct condemnation of the US President.
In a quip that delighted Labour conference-goers, Khan joked that he enjoys visiting Liverpool because "it means I get to take a break from the Sharia Law in London." He later adopted a much more serious tone, accusing President Trump of being "racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he is Islamophobic" for his rhetoric.
When pressed on Trump's apparent obsession, Khan suggested he was "living rent-free inside Donald Trump's head," adding a rhetorical flair to the long-running feud between the two leaders. He asserted that Trump is threatened by London's success as a "liberal, multicultural, successful, diverse city," which demonstrates that "diversity is a strength, not a weakness."
The Political Consensus: The Claim Is False
The accusation that London or its Mayor is attempting to officially adopt Sharia law has been unanimously rejected by politicians across the Labour Party, including the most senior figures in government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended Khan, calling Trump's assertion "ridiculous nonsense" and stating, "I support our mayor, I'm really proud of the fact we have a Muslim mayor of a very diverse city."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting also took to social media to state clearly, "Sadiq Khan is not trying to impose Sharia Law on London." He highlighted the mayor's commitment to British values, noting Khan "marches with Pride, who stands up for differences of background and opinion."
Legal and Factual Inaccuracy
Fact-checkers and legal experts confirm that Trump's claim is completely unfounded and legally impossible. Sharia law forms no part of the law of England and Wales. While a number of informal Sharia councils operate in the UK, often advising on matters relating to Islamic marriage and divorce, the UK government has repeatedly affirmed that these councils have no legal status or binding authority under civil law.
The Mayor’s office also cited statistics to counter Trump's negative portrayal of London, noting that the city’s homicide rate is lower than many major US cities and that London is currently welcoming a record number of American visitors and investors.
The consensus among British politicians and public bodies is that the President's comments are an attempt to revive far-right conspiracy theories and inflame cultural tensions, rather than an accurate reflection of the legal and political reality in London.
