Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has extended a delicious invitation to US President Donald Trump when he visits the capital on a state visit.
Sir Sadiq offered to take Trump out for a curry on Brick Lane, an east London street well known for its abundance of Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants.
He said he wants to show Trump ‘the joys of our diversity’ – and added it’s ‘important to engage with the president of the USA’ despite his own criticism of the man.
And the owner of at least one curry house has said he would welcome the US president with ‘open arms.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer invited Trump to the UK for his second state visit when he flew over to Washington on Thursday.
Since then, Trump got into a major row with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, which has led to some calling for that invite to be rescinded.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney argued the visit should not go ahead unless the US ‘maintains its support for Ukraine’.
Sir Sadiq, as well as other senior members of the Labour party including Foreign Secretary David Lammy, have openly criticised Trump in the past – though some have rowed back on their previous comments.
The London mayor opposed Trump’s first state visit back in 2019, but he now says he supports a second visit and hopes it could be an opportunity to ‘challenge’ his views on the UK.
He also warned of ‘resurgent fascism’ the day before Trump was re-elected.
When Trump was last in office, he called Sir Sadiq a ‘stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London’, and the mayor responded describing Trump at the time as a ‘poster boy for racists’.
The mayor also gave permission for a blimp depicting a cartoonish version of Trump wearing a nappy to be flown above the capital during the president’s visit.
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But Sir Sadiq told LBC: ‘People know my views about Donald Trump. That’s not going to change.
‘If he does come to London, what I’d invite him to do is spend time at Trafalgar Square, maybe on St. Patrick’s Day or Lunar New Year, or Eid in the square, or Diwali in the square.
‘I think it is important to actually bust some of these myths. I think it’s important to show those people who believe the contrary that diversity is a strength, not a weakness.’
He continued: ‘I’d invite President Trump for a good curry in Brick Lane, maybe go and visit a place of worship in London, but also his team as well.
‘I say in a non-patronising way, a lot of prejudice comes from pre-judging, and actually one of the joys of the great city of London is our diversity.
‘So if it is the case, if it is the case that President Trump comes to London, it’s an opportunity to show President Trump the joys of our diversity.
‘And by the way, that includes not just religious minorities, ethnic minorities, but people of different sexual orientations as well.’
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Romz, general manager of the multi-award winning Aladin on Brick Lane, would welcome Trump to his restaurant with open arms.
He described him to Metro as a ‘changed man’ after his first term in the White House.
He said: ‘Of course we would welcome him. He is a changed man now. We would be honoured for him to come here. It would be a big celebration.’
Gesturing at photographs taped to the front window, Romz added: ‘Even King Charles, back when he was a prince, has dined here. As you can see, Ainsley Harriott too.
‘Many celebrities have come here. So we want Trump to come too and add his picture on the wall too.’
The manager said he would give the president a royal welcome and serve him Aladin’s famous chicken tikka.
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