A giant balloon of London Mayor Sadiq Khan dressed in a bikini has taken to the skies ahead of an event which will see it launched over Parliament Square today.

The launch of the 29ft blimp comes as the man behind the event, Yanny Bruere, attempted to defend himself against claims he previously sent anti-semitic tweets from a now deleted twitter account. 

Appearing on Sky News, Bruere said the tweets were “taken out of context” and reports on it were full of “inaccuracies”. 

One supporter, Gavin Leonard, 59, from east London, said: “I think it’s very funny, it deliberately subverts the beach body ready adverts that Sadiq was so keen to ban.

“I always expected the crowd to be smaller than the Trump crowds – this is a bit of fun.

“I think Sadiq Khan has been a terrible mayor for London.

“I’ve lived here for 25 years and the feeling of impending crime on the streets has never been worse.”

Event organisers raised £58,000 on a crowdfunding site for the stunt as part of a campaign to get the mayor removed from office.

Some of those gathered to watch the blimp today chanted that it was time for the mayor “to go” from office. 

They claim crime has risen sharply during his time in office and want to use the inflatable to “demonstrate our unhappiness with him as our mayor of London”.

More than 3,400 backed the Khan blimp event which was promoted on Facebook and through a crowdfunding page that read: “Under Sadiq Khan, we have seen crime skyrocket to unprecedented levels.

“People in London don’t feel safe and they aren’t safe, 81 murders this year alone! Khan Out.”

The bikini design of the inflatable is in reference to his decision to ban adverts on the Tube showing a woman in a similar swimsuit.

It featured the caption “are you beach body ready?” – which was said to promote an unhealthy body image.