Chicago – September 26, 2025
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed comments by US President Donald Trump suggesting that London wants to “go to Sharia law,” calling the claim “ridiculous nonsense.”
Speaking after Trump’s remarks at the UN General Assembly in New York, where the president also described London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan as a “terrible mayor” who had “changed the city,” Starmer said he categorically disagreed with the claim and voiced his full support for Khan.
“I’m not going to get into a war of words, but what the president said about the introduction of Sharia law was nonsense,” Starmer said. “Mayor Khan is doing a good job, driving down serious crime, and I am proud of the fact that Britain has a Muslim mayor leading one of the world’s most diverse cities.” He added that he had personally spoken to Khan following the comments.
Responding to Trump, Khan accused the president of being “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic,” adding that Trump appeared to be “living rent-free inside [his] head.” Despite being labelled a “terrible mayor,” Khan said he was proud London continued to attract record numbers of American visitors and frequently ranked as one of the world’s leading cultural capitals.
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden emphasized that British law alone applies in the UK, rejecting Trump’s claims. While religious councils, including Sharia bodies, operate in limited areas such as marriage and financial arbitration, their rulings are not legally binding, ministers stressed.
