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Mayor Sadiq Khan has strongly pushed back against former US President Donald Trump’s assertion that London is or will be governed under Sharia law, calling the claim baseless and inflammatory.
Trump made the comment in recent public remarks, saying London “under Sharia law” was a possibility under certain conditions. Those remarks were immediately criticised as misleading and provocative, especially given London’s diverse and secular legal traditions.
In a public response, Khan said London is governed exclusively by British law and rejected any notion that religious law holds sway over the city. He said Trump’s assertion mischaracterises both the law and London’s values of tolerance and the rule of law.
While Trump did not offer evidence for his claim, it struck a chord among certain critics who have long accused Khan of being too lenient toward Islamic institutions. Khan has faced sustained scrutiny over his past comments and political style, but he stressed that such allegations were politically motivated and factually incorrect.
Khan’s office also noted that Londoners of all faiths and none live under the same legal framework, one that respects religious freedom but does not allow parallel systems of justice.
Trump’s claim has reignited debates over immigration, integration, and the role of religion in public life in Britain. Some commentators argue that it feeds into Islamophobic narratives, while others see it as political posturing.
Local and national leaders have rallied behind Khan’s correction, underscoring that Britain’s laws and courts remain unified and secular. Legal experts emphasise that while individuals may follow religious codes in their personal lives, these have no standing in overriding civil or criminal law in the UK.