Trump assertion that London could introduce Sharia law is 'nonsense,' says Starmer

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday rejected Donald Trump's recent assertion that there was a push to apply Islamic Sharia law in London, calling it "nonsense" and defending London Mayor Sadiq Khan in rare criticism of the U.S. president.

Trump earlier this week at the United Nations delivered a sweeping criticism of immigration policies in Europe. He singled out the UK capital, saying "now they want to go to Sharia law" and calling Khan a "terrible, terrible mayor".

"The idea of the introduction of Sharia law is nonsense and Sadiq Khan is a very good man," Starmer told ITV London. He added that there are few things he disagrees with Trump on, "but I'm very clear, this is one of them".

Khan, who represents Starmer's centre-left Labour Party, in 2016 became the first Muslim to be elected mayor of London. He has since won two more mayoral elections and has the largest personal mandate of any British politician.

The U.S. president's comments at the General Assembly were the latest in a long-running public feud between Trump and Khan that goes back to at least 2017, when Khan criticised Trump for pledging a travel ban on a number of majority-Muslim countries.

Starmer, a technocrat and a self-proclaimed socialist, and Trump, a proudly unpredictable Republican, have generally overcome their differences to develop a good working relationship.

Trump's criticism on Tuesday came only a week after he hailed the U.S.-British relationship during an unprecedented second state visit to Britain that involved royal pomp, including a carriage tour and a white-tie banquet.

Khan responded to Trump's comments this week by accusing him of being "racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic." He pointed to data that shows a record number of Americans are settling in Britain.

(Reporting by William James and Andrew MacAskill, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)