Sadiq Khan has hit out at U.S. presidential hopefuls for their “abhorrent” campaigns against the trans community.
The mayor of London reignited his war of words with leading Republicans over their “horrid” views.
He previously had a long-running public spat with former President Donald Trump.
Now he has taken aim at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and Nikki Haley over their views on transgender issues.
Khan told the Pink News Westminster Pride Reception in Westminster: “There are candidates running to be the president of the USA campaigning against the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, campaigning to be abhorrent and horrid to the trans community.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan
He warned attendees at Wednesday’s event: “We mustn’t be lulled into a false sense of security that it’s not happening here, you’ve just got to pick up a paper.
“You’ve just got to watch TV, go to social media to see some of the images politicians are putting out.
“When I share with you one out of every four trans teenagers tries to kill themselves, that should sensitize us when it comes to talking about these sort of issues.”
The Labour mayor stressed that there remain “big, big challenges” for the LGBTQ+ community and warned the U.K. is not immune to similar “culture wars” tactics.
Hardline U.S. presidential hopeful DeSantis recently praised Kemi Badenoch for her fight against so-called “woke ideology.”
The Florida governor met the business secretary on a trip to Britain when he praised the senior Tory for her outspoken views.
The Sunday Telegraph claimed his allies hope that Badenoch could be the next Margaret Thatcher to their new Ronald Reagan.
Downing Street was later forced to deny that ministers were backing DeSantis over Trump in their battle to become the Republican candidate for U.S. president.
