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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched a series of attacks on US President Donald Trump ahead of his state visit.
Mr Khan compared the language used by Mr Trump to that of the “fascists of the 20th century” and later added that Britain should not be “rolling out the red carpet” for the president next week.
In the past, the Mayor of London has had several clashes with Mr Trump over Twitter as well as repeatedly criticising the president and speaking out against his state visit to the UK this year.
Writing in the Observer on Sunday, Mr Khan said: “President Donald Trump is just one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat.
“The far-right is on the rise around the world, threatening our hard-won rights and freedoms and the values that have defined our liberal, democratic societies for more than 70 years.
“Viktor Orban in Hungary, Matteo Salvini in Italy, Marine Le Pen in France and Nigel Farage here in the UK are using the same divisive tropes of the fascists of the 20th century to garner support, but with new, sinister methods to deliver their message.
“And they are gaining ground and winning power and influence in places that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.”
The pair’s ongoing feud was sparked in 2016 when Mr Trump challenged Mr Khan to an IQ test after saying his views on Islam were “ignorant”.
Speaking to the BBC afterwards, Sadiq Khan said: “It was Donald Trump that began this by saying his blanket ban on Muslims would make an exception for me as Mayor of London.”
In June 2017, the pair clashed again when the US President called Khan’s response to the London Bridge terror attack “pathetic”.
The first day of Mr Trump’s state visit to the UK will see him have a private lunch with the Queen, tea at Clarence House with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and attend a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
However, Mr Khan later told Sky News that the country should not be “rolling out the red carpet” for Mr Trump.
He said Britain’s relationship with its closest allies was like that of a best friend.
“Like a best friend you need to call them out when you think they’re wrong and there are so many things about Donald Trump’s presidency that are the antithesis of our values in London and as a country.”
He also criticised the US president for rolling back women’s reproductive rights, his treatment of migrants on the US border and his decision to walk away from the Paris climate accord.
“Our prime minister is not willing to say boo to a goose,” he said.
