The mayor of London has been called upon to apologise after his official website was found to contain guidance that suggested an image of a white family “doesn’t represent real Londoners.”
Mr. Khan has moved to distance himself from what his office has termed an “inappropriate” comment, discovered in an official guide to Greater London Authority (GLA) and mayoral branding.
The branding, which was publicly available online since the first half of 2021, has been removed by the london.gov.uk website since the backlash, following a report by The Daily Mail on Saturday. The Mayor’s office claimed that the comment was penned by a junior team member.
Elsewhere within the guidance, it is written that; ‘The photos we use should reflect a recognisable, real and diverse London.’
“Selective Choice Of Photos”
Speaking to The Telegraph on Sunday, Craig Mackinlay, Conservative Party MP for South Thanet, said: “The Mayor of London has made it very clear through his selective choice of photographs to promote his office that white families do not form part of London any more.“This is particularly worrying for a Mayor that should be acting for all within his community, and I think it is indicative of the divisive nature of Sadiq and Labour’s view on party politics these days.”
Lee Anderson, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, took to X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) to write: “Do your job – ie reduce crime, build some houses and stop robbing folk.” He also called on the mayor to stop “dog whistle politics.”
Susan Hall, Tory candidate in London’s mayoral race next May, posted via her profile on X, saying: “All Londoners are real Londoners. We should be celebrating London’s diversity, but sadly the Mayor is more interested in dividing people. He should apologise.”
Speaking to Talk TV, Conservative GLA member Peter Fortune commented: “Any kind of politics that seeks to drive people apart … is wrong.” He continued by saying that such a statement may be indicative of the way people “think” in the mayor’s team.
In the section of the guidance on photography, it warns that pictures should not, “Look staged” or “set up.” It maintains that photos “for PR purposes” or which are “political” should not be used.
A large section also goes into detail regarding “best images of the Mayor,” including more than 20 pictures of Mr. Khan. Advice is given that “photos of the Mayor should be active and engaging.”
The guidance recommends: “He should be shown interacting in real and relatable environments.”
It states: “When you photograph the Mayor, make sure his staff and any known / political figures are out of the shot.”
‘Anti-Racist Organisation’
Mr. Khan previously termed City Hall as an “anti-racist organisation.” Commenting in 2020, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter riots, he claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic and events surrounding the death of George Floyd (an American citizen), had “exposed the particular scourge of anti-blackness and the gross injustices black people, from every background and walk of life, continue to face.”In the wake of this latest news, Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, took to X saying: “Sadiq Khan’s London is run by an anti-white prejudice, which could be called racism.”
Speaking to Talk TV yesterday, Founder of FairFuel UK and Reform Party candidate for the London Mayoral election, Howard Cox, called the incident “disgusting” and called on the mayor to resign.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London reacted, stating: “The photo caption was added by a staff member in error, and doesn’t reflect the view of the Mayor or the Greater London Authority. The document has now been taken off the GLA website and is being reviewed to ensure the language and guidance is appropriate.”
