BBC Breakfast was hosted by John Kay and Naga Munchetty this morning and joining them live from City Hall, was London Mayor Sadiq Khan to discuss the comments Donald Trump made about him yesterday.
However, despite Munchetty’s attempts, Khan refused to comment on Trump’s opinion of him.
Munchetty asked: “What’s your reaction?
“Well look, I’m not going to get involved in a ding dong about his views of me,” Khan said.
“But what I will say is today in London, and tomorrow there are protests taking place against President Trump and his politics and policies and what he stands for.
“Tomorrow in London there will be protests from extreme pro right groups and pro Trump supporters, these protests are allowed but they must take place in a peaceful manner and good spirited.
“[We have] freedom of speech, expression and protest, we share theses freedoms with the United States, we have them in common.”
Munchetty went on to speak about an interview Trump gave to The Sun about how the Mayor runs London.
“There are two aspects – his comments on how London is run, the other part though, this is now personal between you two, he has said you’ve done a terrible job, not been hospitable, he doesn’t like you,” Munchetty commented.
Khan replied: “I’m not going to lose any sleep president Trump doesn’t like me.
“The important thing is, other cities around London and the world are grappling with the evil of terrorism…and it’s for President Trump to explain why he singled me out for being responsible for these acts of terrorism and no other mayor or other leader.”
But Munchetty refused to give up on getting an answer from Khan, pressing: “I’ll go back to the first part of my question.
“He doesn’t like you and the problem is with you saying you’re not going to lose any sleep, you are the Mayor of our capital, you represent the capital of the UK, a trading relationship with US is important, biggest trading partner, you are not helping that relationship.”
“What’s important is we distinguish the views of the protesters against President Trump and what he stands for and America and Americans,” Khan hit back.
“I like many Londoners love America and Americans. [But we have the] right to protest, right to free speech, freedom of assembly, and the idea that we would curtail those rights because it causes offence to President Trump, their own constitution has the same rights.”
Munchetty also addressed the giant balloon of Trump which will be flown above London this afternoon.
She said: “Someone’s got to be the bigger person in this, you’re letting this balloon fly over the capital when he’s visiting, isn’t it time to take the high ground?”
“You’ve raised a good point, I’d like viewers to compare and contrast the tweets Trump has said about me and mine in response,” he said.
“And you’ve asked me three or four or five questions to respond to President Trump and I’ve not not been disrespectful to him.
“But the idea that I may stop a blimp or balloon to flight over London to not cause offence and thereby curtail peoples rights to protest when it’s not unsafe, it’snot unpeaceful, people will find it astonishing.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with them in times of adversity, but when we think they’re wrong we should say we think they’re wrong and that’s what a special relationship is about.”
BBC Breakfast airs weekdays at 6am on BBC One.
