London mayor warns of far-right surge, calls for action to defend democracy

LONDON (AA) – London Mayor Sadiq Khan has issued a stark warning about the rise of far-right fanaticism across the Western world, arguing that liberal democracy is facing a “century-defining challenge.”

Writing in The Guardian, Khan highlighted the growing influence of nativist parties in Europe and the resurgence of former US President Donald Trump, calling for urgent action to counter extremism.

Khan’s remarks came amid a wave of far-right electoral successes, from the National Rally in France to the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is poised for major gains in upcoming elections.

He warned that history is repeating itself, drawing parallels to the instability of the 1920s and 1930s.

“These are deeply worrying times, especially if you’re a member of a minority community,” Khan wrote, urging progressives to push back against reactionary forces seeking to “divide people for personal and political gain.”

– ‘Billionaire bully’

A major part of Khan’s critique focused on the role of social media platforms in amplifying hate and misinformation.

He accused Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), of using the platform as a “propaganda tool” for far-right ideologies.

Citing research from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Khan highlighted that far-right figure Tommy Robinson had amassed 434 million views on X during last summer’s riots, while calling for “mass deportations.”

“A billionaire bully shouldn’t be able to use his social media platform to amplify lies,” Khan wrote, calling for governments worldwide to impose stricter regulations on tech giants.

He also urged lawmakers to go beyond the UK’s new Online Safety Act to curb extremist content.

He criticized Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, for reportedly removing independent fact-checkers in what he sees as an effort to appease a potential second Trump administration.

Khan also took aim at mainstream politicians who he believes are legitimizing far-right discourse by adopting its language and narratives.

Without naming individuals, he condemned members of the opposition who have embraced “dehumanizing language that used to be considered alien to British values.”

He warned that the Overton window—the range of politically acceptable discourse—is shifting dangerously, allowing far-right ideas to enter the mainstream. “This only emboldens the far right,” he cautioned.

“A decades-long rise in inequality, massively exacerbated under the last government, combined with falling living standards and a failure to build more integrated communities, is creating fertile conditions for the far right,” Khan wrote.

With the rise of racist hate in Western democracies, Muslim communities have been rendered increasingly vulnerable and marginalized and have faced rising rates of Islamophobic attacks.