Sadiq Khan seems to have struck up an unexpected friendship with Captain Kirk in the wake of his historic victory in the London Mayor election.

The Labour MP has been hailed by Star Trek star William Shatner, who deployed one of his most famous lines in a bizarre tribute.

Posting on Twitter after a wave of requests from fans, Shatner wrote: '@SadiqKhan Khaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnn!! Congratulations Mr Mayor! Bill'

He then appeared overjoyed later when the new London Mayor followed him on Twitter. 'Go to Red Alert!' he posted. 'Khan followed!'

The quote comes from 1980s Star Trek movie The Wrath of Khan, about genetically-enhanced baddie Khan Noonien Singh who tries to take revenge on Captain Kirk.

William Shatner, left, who played Captain James T Kirk, tweeted his congratulations to Sadiq Khan after the Laboour candidate's landslide victory in Thursday's election

Sadiq Khan comfortably defeated Tory rival Zac Goldsmith in the mayoral elections last week after a bitter battle during which he was repeatedly accused of having links to extremists.

A series of senior Tory figures and even Mr Goldsmith's sister Jemima have criticised the way the campaign was conducted.

While Mr Khan appears to have welcomed the endorsement from Shatner, he has seemed less willing to be seen with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

In an interview yesterday he savaged Mr Corbyn for obsessing over Left-wing causes while ignoring swathes of the electorate.

In a sign of a growing rift between the two, London’s new mayor also revealed he had not met his party leader since being elected on Friday.

Mr Khan said Labour needed to ‘stop talking about ourselves and start talking to citizens about the issues that matter to them’ and accused Mr Corbyn and his allies of focusing on internal party issues instead of winning back voters.

Mr Khan held a victory party on Friday night after defeating Zac Goldsmith, before being sworn in at the capital’s Southwark Cathedral on Saturday.

William Shatner offered his congratulations to London's new Mayor Sadiq Khan by recalling one of his most famous Star Trek moments

Mr Shatner got even more excited when the Tweet convinced Mr Khan to follow him back on Twitter - quipping 'red alert!'

Mr Corbyn was not at the party and travelled to Bristol on Saturday in support of new Labour mayor, Marvin Rees.

Mr Khan, who distanced himself from Mr Corbyn during the Mayoral contest, said yesterday: ‘I think we’re seeing each other tomorrow. But I’ve been really busy.’

This contradicted Mr Corbyn, who claimed on Saturday he would meet Mr Khan ‘over the weekend’, adding: ‘We’re getting on fine.’

Asked on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show what contribution Mr Corbyn had made to his election, Mr Khan replied: ‘Success has many parents and I think what’s important is the victory on Thursday was a victory for London because ... London chose hope over fear and unity over division.’