Reuters has yet again debunked false online claims alleging that London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to build housing exclusively for Muslims.

The video, recorded by Islam Channel during last year’s mayoral, has resurfaced and is circulating widely on social media platforms, Reuters confirmed.

The misinformation had already been debunked last year when it was spread by far right outlets but it getting recycled again seemingly to stoke division and Islamophobic rhetoric.

““I’m fu*king fuming – I’ve just found out London Mayor Sadiq Kahn, under the Muslim housing plan, is building 40,000 new homes for Muslims only to be near mosques and halal food shops,” said one widely shared video post on Facebook.

“Imagine if the British government announced free homes for white British Christians only? It adds. 

In reality. these posts deliberately misrepresent Khan’s actual statements, which did not single out Muslims for exclusive housing. 

As revealed by Islam Channel when debunking last year’s false claims, the Mayor of London pledged to build 40,000 new council homes after saying housing was a major issue for Muslims in London, not that he would build 40,000 new council homes solely for Muslims.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London clarified to Reuters that the claim was false, confirming that the 40,000 homes will serve all Londoners needing housing, regardless of faith.

So what did Sadiq Khan say exactly?

A spokesperson for Islam Channel also pointed out that the misinformation aims to sow discord within communities.

“Any attempt to use our interview to claim that Sir Sadiq Khan is going to build 40,000 new homes ‘just for Muslims’ is a complete misrepresentation of the truth,” said the spokesperson.

“It is very clear that, on the contrary, he is speaking about his plans for all Londoners. In fact, he states explicitly that he is “a mayor for all Londoners, whether you are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, a member of an organised faith or not”. 

“It is very upsetting that a positive and inclusive interview, in which Sir Sadiq Khan speaks of his pride in London’s diversity, should have been manipulated in this way. 

“This appears to be a cynical attempt not only to mislead, but to misrepresent the interview itself and the Mayor of London and his intentions, and to do so in such a way as to divide communities and spread discord by fostering anti-Muslim feeling. 

“Sadly, such damaging and dangerous manipulation undoubtedly contributes to the record levels of anti-Muslim hate crimes, currently being reported in the UK.”

During election campaigns, candidates often engage with different communities and groups, focussing their messaging to connect with each audience’s interests without making promises exclusively benefiting any one group.

Watch the full video below to see what the London Mayor said.