Muslim Mayor Of London Accuses Political Foes Of Using ‘Donald Trump Playbook’

Muslim Mayor Sadiq Khan, the newly elected mayor of London, accused his political foes of “using ‘Donald Trump playbook’ tactics to try to divide communities in a bid to prevent his election,” according to the Guardian. He also spoke out on the importance of the Labour Party needing to appeal to all voters and not just party activists.

“I learnt a great deal throughout the course of the campaign – about myself, about London and about the importance of reaching out to all sections of society. But there are two lessons in particular. First, Labour only wins when we face outwards and focus on the issues that the people actually care about. And secondly, we will never be trusted to govern unless we reach out and engage with all voters – regardless of their background, where they live or where they work.”

https://www.facebook.com/sadiqforlondon/posts/1143527892366663

As reported in the Inquisitr yesterday, London elected its first Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, a Labour politician and human rights lawyer. His parents were Pakistani immigrants.

“The victory of a Muslim man as mayor of the city shows the people of London are in fact a lot more tolerant than they are credited for. This victory of Sadiq Khan will bring a wave around the world, particularly in European countries that are still struggling to integrate the Muslim communities.”

The mayoral race between the Labour Party’s Sadiq Khan and the Conservative Party’s Zac Goldsmith was a rough one. There were accusations of voter suppression. Goldsmith’s own party complained that racial, ethnic, and religious slurs went too far. Zac Goldsmith’s sister, Jemima Goldsmith, said the campaign did not reflect her brother as she knew him.

Sad that Zac's campaign did not reflect who I know him to be- an eco friendly, independent- minded politician with integrity.

— Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) May 6, 2016

Muslim members of the Conservative Party were especially upset with the way the mayoral campaign used Islamophobia as a campaign tactic. Mohammed Amin, the chair of the Conservative Muslim Forum, criticized Goldsmith’s campaign as “divisive and deeply unpleasant.” Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, the first female Muslim cabinet minister in the UK, was appalled by how her own party had fought during the election and predicted the damage would be long-lasting.

Our appalling dog whistle campaign for #LondonMayor2016 lost us the election, our reputation & credibility on issues of race and religion.

— Sayeeda Warsi (@SayeedaWarsi) May 6, 2016

Several political observers have pointed out parallels between the London election campaign for mayor and the American presidential campaign. Like Bernie Sanders, Sadiq Khan is from working class roots and is the son of an immigrant. Sadiq Khan is even considered a social democrat like Senator Sanders, being a member of the Labour Party’s “soft left” or centrist faction.

Zac Goldsmith, meanwhile, is the son of a billionaire; Donald Trump is the son of a millionaire. Zac Goldsmith appealed to Islamophobia in his mayoral campaign. Donald Trump has suggested banning Muslim tourists and immigrants from the United States. Zac Goldsmith was accused of racist attacks in his campaign. Donald Trump has been accused of racism too many times to count.

https://www.facebook.com/PTIOfficial/photos/a.440939354526.233923.151626539526/10153752357344527/?type=3&theater

The Guardian quoted Sadiq Khan accusing Conservative politicians Prime Minister David Cameron and Zac Goldsmith, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, of acting like Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

“It’s also why the Conservative mayoral campaign was so disappointing. I was looking forward to a good honest campaign, debating how we best tackle things like the housing crisis, high transport fares and air pollution. But David Cameron and Zac Goldsmith chose to set out to divide London’s communities in an attempt to win votes in some areas and suppress voters in other parts of the city. They used fear and innuendo to try to turn different ethnic and religious groups against each other – something straight out of the Donald Trump playbook. Londoners deserved better and I hope it’s something the Conservative party will never try to repeat.”

Sadiq Khan: "My dad would be so proud that the city he chose to call home has chosen 1 of his children to be Mayor" https://t.co/SScgnNhKz0

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) May 6, 2016

How will a Muslim mayor affect London? What does it mean for American politics, especially foreign affairs, when being compared to one of our leading candidates is considered a pejorative overseas?

[Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images]