London Mayor Sadiq Khan has used the opening day keynote of the inaugural SXSW London to criticize an “inward-looking mentality,” “uncertainty and political turmoil” in the U.S.
As he laid out why London is a “creative hotbed, a gateway to the world and a hub for talent, trade, tech and innovation,” Khan threatened to reopen rifts between himself and Donald Trump.
“We believe we can do business in a way that achieves commercial gains at the same time as advancing the common good,” he said of the city for which he has presided for nearly a decade. “So at the time when there’s so much uncertainty and political turmoil across the pond, defined by an inward looking mentality, I’m going to reach out to international investors, businesses and creators to say that London offers you the opposite.”
Khan and the POTUS have a chequered history. They have both been publicly critical of each other over the years, with Trump blasting Khan’s record on crime and calling him a “stone cold loser,” while Khan has described Trump’s insults as “childish.”
Khan used the opening SXSW speech to lay down a marker for London’s position on the world stage as the UK negotiates trade deals with the EU, India and U.S.
“London is somewhere that is resolutely pro-business, pro-growth and pro-freedom of expression and by new trade deals – which means the UK is tearing down barriers to trade, not putting up walls – there’s never been a better time to come and create, collaborate and invest in our city,” he added. “Elsewhere, you might see uncertainty and efforts to wind back the clocks on human rights, on individual liberties, on freedom of press, on democracy, but not in London. In London, you find a city which stands strong as a bus against hate and a city which shines bright as a beacon of hope, of progress and of possibility.”
He said the conversations taking place this week at SXSW are “so consequential” and reiterated a desire for London to be a “global center for AI investment and innovation.”
Khan joked that his “Texan friends” who organize SXSW had “brought the weather” with them on a sunny opening SXSW day in the sometimes “cold, grey and rainy” UK capital.
He described SXSW as a “moment of creative synergy” with “London’s spirit meeting Austin’s swagger.” “It’s like Big Ben started wearing cowboy boots and made a podcast,” he joked.
SXSW London runs all week, with the likes of Idris Elba and the CEOs of Letterboxd, OnlyFans and Twitch set to address crowds in Shoreditch, East London.
The post London Mayor Threatens To Reopen Donald Trump Rift After Swiping At “Inward-Looking” U.S. On Opening Day Of SXSW London appeared first on Deadline.
