Sadiq Khan says some of his friends were called ‘n*****’ and the ‘P-word’ after the Brexit vote
Mayor of London says people he knew have suffered racist abuse after Britain voted to leave the European Union
SADIQ Khan has revealed that some of his friends were called "n*****" and the "P-word" after the Brexit vote.
The Mayor of London had previously said it was "not uncommon" for him to hear such phrases growing up, but that his kids "have never been racially abused in that way".
Since the vote to leave the European Union in June, however, he said that some of his own pals had experienced racist abuse themselves.
"Friends I have spoken to of my age post-Brexit have heard the ‘p’ word or the ‘n’ word or the ‘y’ word… I’ve got mates who were called the ‘n’ word or the ‘p’ word in the week or two after Brexit," he said in a speech at City Hall today.
In an attempt to foster integration and an end to political division in the capital, the Mayor declared that supporters of the President-elect Donald Trump were not racist, they had "decided to vote for an alternative, radical path".
"Try to understand the concerns they've got and try to address them," he said.
Ahead of a summit of EU ministers today, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the President-elect's win could be "good for Britain" and urged people not to "pre-judge" him.
But Mr Khan said that Mr Trump's comments on Muslims had made both Britain and America "less safe" and city leaders should work together to "build bridges instead of walls".
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Last week saw claims from Trump's website, that he would ban Muslims from entering the US, mysteriously vanish.
The Mayor said today that uniting communities could help boost economic growth and help to "build a strong sense of social solidarity within our cities".
“Promoting social integration means ensuring that people of different faiths, ethnicities, social backgrounds and generations don’t just tolerate one another or live side-by-side, but actually meet and mix with one another and forge relationships as friends and neighbours, as well as citizens," he said.
The government also confirmed today that Mr Khan would hold monthly talks with the Brexit secretary, David Davis, about how London will be affected by the exit from the EU.
Mr Khan's speech comes as images emerged of vehicles daubed with swastikas near a Jewish school in north London.
"F*** off" has also been scrawled on one of the vans.
Merseyside police have confirmed they are also investigating Nazi stickers being posted on lampposts and doors in Liverpool.