Sadiq Khan blasts Zac campaign as 'straight out the Trump playbook'

Victor: Sadiq Khan criticised his Tory opponent and offered words of advice to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
PA
Sebastian Mann8 May 2016

The new Mayor of London has described his opponent Zac Goldsmith’s campaign as “straight out of the Donald Trump playbook".

Sadiq Khan accused his defeated rival and Conservative Party leader David Cameron of trying to “divide London's communities in an attempt to win votes".

The comments came in a Sunday newspaper article which also declared that Labour can only win elections if it reaches beyond its own activists – a clear message for leader Jeremy Corbyn.

In a barbed attack on his Tory opponents, Mr Khan said: "They used fear and innuendo to try and 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."

Yesterday cabinet minister Michael Fallon said Mr Goldsmith's campaign in London, which has been criticised by senior Tories, was part of the "rough and tumble" of an election.

Mr Fallon described Mr Khan as a "Labour lackey who speaks alongside extremists" during the mayoral race, and was repeatedly challenged on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to say whether he was worried about the capital's security with Mr Khan in City Hall.

"London is safe with a Conservative Government working with the new mayor of London," he said.

But Tory former justice secretary Ken Clarke told the BBC the way the campaign had been run was a "mistake" and "probably had a counter-productive effect". Other Tories including Baroness Warsi have criticised the campaign.

Mr Khan secured an overwhelming victory over Mr Goldsmith, claiming 57 per cent of votes after second preferences were counted.

The win gives him a larger mandate than any other London mayor.

Writing in the Observer, Mr Khan used his victory to send a message to Mr Corbyn that appealing to "natural Labour voters" alone would not be enough to secure success.

Mr Khan wrote: "First, Labour only wins when we face outwards and focus on the issues that the people actually care about," he said.

"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.

"Squabbles over internal party structures might be important for some in the party, but it is clear they mean little or nothing to the huge majority of voters.

"As tempting as it might be, we must always resist focusing in on ourselves and ignoring what people really want."

Sadiq Khan sworn in as Mayor of London

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He added: "Labour has to be a big tent that appeals to everyone - not just its own activists.”

Mr Corbyn's absence from Saturday's high-profile ceremony at Southwark Cathedral, in which Mr Khan was signed in as mayor, raised eyebrows and led to the party leader being forced to deny there was a rift.

Instead of appearing alongside Mr Khan, Mr Corbyn travelled to Bristol to congratulate that city's new mayor Marvin Rees. "I am meeting Sadiq over the weekend, I have been in touch with him. We are getting on fine. I have sent him a message of congratulations," he told reporters.

Additional reporting by PA

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