Donald Trump claims he banned Sadiq Khan from state banquet in fresh attack on 'worst mayor'

Donald Trump has claimed he requested London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was not invited to a state banquet during his historic second state visit.

However, Evening Standard has learned that Sir Sadiq was never due to be on the guest list for the dinner at Windsor Castle - casting doubt on the US President’s remarks.

This version of events was backed up on Friday morning by the UK’s Business Secretary Peter Kyle, who said that Sir Sadiq “didn’t ask to go” to the event.

Speaking to reporters on his flight back to Washington on Air Force One from Britain, Trump took aim at Sir Sadiq, labelling him as “among the worst mayors in the world”.

Trump also claimed crime in London was “through the roof” and labelled Sir Sadiq as a “disaster” on immigration policies.

He said he asked that Sir Sadiq not be invited to the state banquet or attend other events.

"I didn't want him there," the president told reporters. "I asked that he not be there.”

Trump continued: "He wanted to be there. As I understand it, I didn't want it. I've not liked him for a long time.

He added: “I’ve not liked him for a long time. I have a certain pride in London, in the UK, my mother was born in Scotland, and when I see Mayor Khan do a bad job - the stabbings, the dirt and the filth - it’s not the same. I didn’t want him there.”

But City Hall “didn’t expect or seek” an invitation on the mayor’s behalf - something that has been known for weeks.

Despite being a Privy counsellor due to having served as a Government minister in his time as an MP, Sir Sadiq is not normally invited to State banquets in his role as mayor of London.

However, he did attend the white tie dinner at Mansion House last December to mark the State visit of the Emir of Qatar.

A source close to Sir Sadiq said: “Trump’s politics is one of fear and division. This includes talking down our great capital city.

“London is a global success story - it's open, dynamic and safer than major US cities. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons record numbers of Americans are choosing to make London their home.”

Mr Kyle, speaking on Times Radio, was asked by presenter Calum Macdonald: "So did Sadiq Khan ask to go?"

Mr Kyle replied: "No, no, he didn't.... He didn't ask to go.”

Hours before Trump arrived for his state visit Sir Sadiq had himself launched a series of attacks on the US President, who was on his way to Britain on board Air Force One.

In a piece for the Guardian newspaper, published a few hours before Trump landed at Stansted airport on Tuesday evening, Sir Sadiq said: “President Donald Trump and his coterie have perhaps done the most to fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world in recent years.”

He highlighted the Tommy Robinson protest in London on Saturday where up to 150,000 marched through central London saying: “the scenes we saw didn’t come from nowhere.”

And in a fresh attack Sir Sadiq on Wednesday he repeated his claim the President had “fanned the flames of the far-right” on social media adding: “ And now a toxic form of politics is spilling out onto our streets. These are dark times, but those who seek to divide us will not win.”

The attacks are the latest in a long running feud between the two politicians.

The Mayor of London was criticised by Trump earlier this year as "a nasty person" who has "done a terrible job”.

Trump and Sir Sadiq’s row started during the US president’s first term, with Sir Sadiq railing against his pledge to ban Muslims from the US.

Trump described Sir Sadiq as “a stone-cold loser” and “very dumb”.

Sir Sadiq then called Trump a "poster boy for racists" in return.

The President was speaking on Air Force One hours after wrapping up his state visit on Thursday with a press conference with Sir Keir Starmer at his country retreat Chequers.

In wide-ranging comments Trump suggested the Prime Minister bring in the military to stop the small boats crisis and Vladimir Putin had “let me down” over ending the Ukraine war.

He also acknowledged "a disagreement” with Sir Keir over the UK’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state and deflected a question rover the sacking of US ambassador Lord Mandelson over emails to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein saying “I don’t know him actually.”

It comes shortly after the two leaders signed a "technology prosperity deal" at Chequers as Trump hailed the "unbreakable bond" between America and Britain.

Trump said the deal will help the two nations "dominate" the future of Artificial Intelligence.

The President’s helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing while taking the US President and his wife Melania to Stansted Airport amid a technical fault.