Jeremy Corbyn accuses Donald Trump and Nigel Farage of 'fake anti-elitism'

'Fake anti-elitism?': Nigel Farage and Donald Trump
Tom Powell21 November 2016
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Jeremy Corbyn has accused US President-elect Donald Trump and interim Ukip leader Nigel Farage of “fake anti-elitism”.

The Labour leader said in a party speech that it was “farcical at one level, but in reality it’s no joke at all”.

Speaking to Labour's National Policy Forum in Loughborough, he said: "Politicians and political parties have a choice in this age of understandable cynicism.

"Do we play on people's fears and anxieties? Or do we take what might be the more difficult approach - to restore hope?

Jeremy Corbyn: the Labour leader was speaking at Labour's National Policy Forum in Loughborough
PA

"We can see the choice being taken by politicians on the hard right - to whip up division against migrants, Muslims, Mexicans, women, LGBT people, people with disabilities.

"The fake anti-elitism of rich, white men - like Nigel Farage and Donald Trump - is farcical at one level, but in reality it's no joke at all.

"We've seen a similar phenomenon in the US since last week's presidential election as we saw after Brexit: an appalling rise in hate crime.

"Saying anything to win a vote has consequences on the ground afterwards."

Pals: Nigel Farage beat Theresa May to the first meeting with Donald Trump
Nigel Farage

It comes as shadow chancellor John McDonnell said a Labour government would "tell it straight" to Donald Trump if he tried to enact some of his "outrageous" policies.

He said the world is holding its breath in the hope that the United States president-elect does not follow through on what many saw as highly divisive campaign rhetoric.

Mr Trump attracted widespread criticism for calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States and and for planning to build a wall to keep illegal Mexican migrants out, although he recently admitted part of it would be fencing.

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," Mr Trump has said. "They're sending people that have lots of problems. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists."

Mr McDonnell told Matt Frei on LBC radio: "We'll deal with him in his official capacity as the elected president but our hope will be that he will put aside the rhetoric of his campaign and not implement the policies that he suggested he would in the campaign, some of which to be frank are outrageous.

"But we'll be straight with him, I think whatever you do you have to have straight talking with these people, that's what Jeremy Corbyn is all about.

"And if we found in our relationship in working with him as the president that we objected to some of his policies we'd tell him straight.

"I think he's the sort of the bloke that would actually appreciate straight talking."

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in