Ahead of Donald Trump’s state visit, the mayor of London hit back at US critics of the capital’s crime rates and diverse population
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship following the election of Donald Trump, which he attributed to the city’s “liberal values”.
In an opening salvo ahead of the US president’s state visit, Sadiq Khan said he wanted to challenge the idea that London was in turmoil and said that more Americans than ever were seeking to make it their home.
He said liberal Americans identified with London because of the city’s “fundamental values, like adhering to the rule of law, being proud of our diversity and championing the rights of minority communities”.
New figures from the Home Office show a rise of 50% in citizenship applications from Americans – putting it at the highest since records began. Between April-June, there were a record 2,194 applications, compared to 1,465 the previous year.
