Sadiq Khan lashes out after Nigel Farage blasts ‘horribly divisive’ festival

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has lashed out at Nigel Farage after the Brexit Party leader dismissed his new festival of black culture in Trafalgar Square as “horribly divisive”. In response to critical comments by the GB News presenter about the Black on the Square festival, Mr Khan said: “Listen, if Nigel Farage thinks it’s a bad idea, by definition it must be a good thing.” The event, the first of its kind, saw hundreds of people enjoy black culture, food, and creativity in central London on Saturday. Mr Khan, who engaged with the crowd and posed for selfies at the festival, was positive about the “good turnout”. It was a chance to “champion and celebrate” London’s “undervalued and under-appreciated” black community, he suggested. Nigel Farage had voiced concerns about the black cultural festival on GB News (Image: GETTY) Mr Khan added: “I don’t think we can ever be complacent in relation to those forces that want to undo the progress made in London. “I think diversity is our strength, not weakness. I think it makes us richer, not poorer. “Today is a really good opportunity to celebrate black excellence, culture, and creativity – and for all of us to celebrate that.” Sadiq Khan said if Mr Farage did not like it ‘it must be a good idea’ (Image: GETTY) Mr Farage previously criticised the festival on his GB News show after it was announced by the mayor in August, accusing him of “playing to identity politics’. He also asked: “What if somebody tried to organise a white culture day, an English culture day?” “It would be absolutely condemned and decried by none other than Sadiq Khan.’ Businessman Charlie Mullins was this week forced to apologise for remarks about Mr Khan on X (Image: Getty) The festival saw performances from black gospel singers, DJs, live bands, and poets. At one point, host Goldie Quaker gave a heartfelt tribute to spoken word poet Gboyega Odubanjo who disappeared at Shambala Festival last weekend and who was due to perform at Black on the Square. She said: “I’m very sure that he would have wanted us to remain and have the joy of today and celebrate all the acts and talents that we have gracing the stage today.” Police found a body in the search for Mr Odubanjo on Thursday and, while formal identification has not yet taken place, his family said his life was “so suddenly cut short”.