A senior Cabinet minister today launched an unprecedented attack on mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan, calling him a “Labour lackey who speaks alongside extremists”.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon claimed the Labour candidate was “unfit” to be London’s Mayor because he had shared platforms with extreme radicals.
He lambasted Mr Khan as “a man who has said Britain’s foreign policy is to blame for the terrorist threat”. Mr Khan’s office hit back by accusing the minister of “demeaning” his office by making an attack “on mainstream Muslims like Sadiq”.
The row follows a series of media reports highlighting links between Mr Khan and controversial individuals and groups. Mr Khan was challenged on LBC radio this morning over several allegations, which he called “desperate”.
He responded: “For goodness sake, let’s have a campaign that is positive.”
Mr Fallon’s strongly worded attack came in a speech to Conservatives in Bromley. The minister said the first duty of a Mayor was to unite the city and back the security forces against terrorist threats.
He added: “My priority as Defence Secretary is to give our armed forces what they need to protect our people and our territory, here at home and overseas, now and into the future.
“With the Home Office and the police, we have plans in place to deploy up to 10,000 troops in the event of Paris-style terrorist attacks. The Mayor has an important role to play in protecting London, supporting the police, and reassuring the public.
“That is why we need a candidate who can unite our city, not a Labour lackey who speaks alongside extremists, proving himself unfit to perform that role. A man who has said Britain’s foreign policy is to blame for the terrorist threat.”
Mr Fallon, speaking in support of Tory mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, went on: “London has witnessed appalling terrorism in the past.
“It needs a mayor who will back our police, security services and armed forces all the way. Labour cannot be trusted with our country’s security and they cannot be trusted with London’s either.”
A spokesman for Mr Khan hit back at the minister: “The Tory campaign is in real desperation and it was only a matter of time before they went down this route — so it’s no surprise it’s Michael Fallon who will literally say anything during an election.
“Sadiq has consistently spoken out against extremism and terrorism. He’s suffered death threats and constant abuse from Muslim extremists throughout his life because of his mainstream views.
“He’s the only candidate in this election who has a real plan to put a stop to radicalisation.
“Attacks like this on mainstream Muslims like Sadiq only make it harder for us to fight extremists, put an end to radicalisation and beat the terrorists — it demeans the office of Defence Secretary.”
The attack went much further than any launched by Mr Goldsmith, who has branded Mr Khan “radical and divisive”, to the fury of Labour which says the terms are “coded racism” and designed to link their candidate with radicalisation in the minds of voters.
The Evening Standard revealed earlier this month that Mr Khan’s former brother-in-law, lawyer Makbool Javaid, had taken part in events in London with the extremist group Al-Muhajiroun in the Nineties and Mr Javaid’s name appeared on a fatwa in 1998 calling for a “full-scale war of jihad” against Britain and the US.
Mr Javaid, now a leading lawyer, told the Standard he totally rejected extremism and never authorised his name being included on the fatwa, which he condemned. He said he “regrets” a controversial Trafalgar Square speech and added that he was “naive” at the time.
Mr Khan was challenged this morning on LBC radio about the reports linking him with radical or controversial events or individuals.
Asked about his appearance at an event run by the Islam Channel, he responded: “Government ministers since then including Conservative ministers and Labour ministers at the time have done stuff with the Islam Channel and so, you know, like many other ministers I was invited and I attended.
“And by the way, in the last couple of years David Cameron has done events with Islam Channel.”
LBC presenter Nick Ferrari raised reports that Mr Khan followed the Twitter feeds of a man who posted links to Islamic State propaganda videos and another whose brother was convicted of supporting insurgents in Afghanistan.
Mr Khan responded: “I will check these two followers, Nick, to make sure if they are inappropriate I won’t follow them.”
Asked about the Evening Standard reports on his former brother in law, Mr Khan said: “I have not seen this guy for more than 12 years, Nick.”
On a Sunday Times report that he “repeatedly shared a platform” with preacher Suliman Gani, who has called women “subservient” to men, Mr Khan scoffed at the idea he shared his views, saying: “This gentleman was very unhappy that I voted for same sex marriage.” Mr Ferrari asked him: “Is there a problem with the company you are keeping?”
Mr Khan answered: “Let’s be quite clear. I am the only candidate with a plan to address the issue which is very serious for Londoners of extremism and radicalisation.
“I’m also somebody who feels passionately that it is possible to be a Londoner and to be of Islamic faith...
“I think it is a bit desperate to attack somebody who follows me on Twitter, or to attack me because I follow somebody, or to attack me because of my ex-brother in law who I’ve not seen for 12 years, or to attack me for sharing a platform when government ministers shared the same platform with the same people. For goodness sake, let’s have a campaign that is positive.”