Donald Trump retweets Britain First deputy: Theresa May condemns US President for sharing anti-Muslim videos

Scores of people have demanded the Government cancels Mr Trump's upcoming UK visit
Theresa May meeting Donald Trump at the White House in January.
PA
Francesca Gillett29 November 2017

Theresa May has condemned Donald Trump as "wrong" to share a string of anti-Muslim far-right videos online.

The US President triggered a furious global backlash when he retweeted several unverified videos posted by the deputy leader of far-right group Britain First, Jayda Fransen.

The trio of anti-Islamic videos, which Mr Trump posted to his 43.5 million Twitter followers on Wednesday, includes footage of migrants allegedly assaulting a boy on crutches and a video claiming to show a Muslim destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Prime Minister Theresa May faced growing pressure to condemn President Trump’s retweets but for hours the UK Government was silent, releasing no official statement.

At shortly after 4pm, Number 10 told the Standard: "Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions.

"They cause anxiety to law-abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents – decency, tolerance and respect.

"It is wrong for the President to have done this."

Home Secretary Amber Rudd had not immediately responded in the House of Commons when Labour MPs Stephen Doughty and Yvette Cooper raised Mr Trump's retweets as a point of order.

Donald Trump has been repeatedly blasted for his inappropriate tweets and gaffes since becoming president.
AFP/Getty Images

Opposition party leader Jeremy Corbyn called on the Government to respond, calling the retweets “dangerous”.

"I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump," said Mr Corbyn. "They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."

Caroline Lucas, the joint leader of the Green Party, said: “The President of the USA has just retweeted a convicted British fascist.

“Theresa May must publicly condemn him immediately. We cannot stand by and watch Donald Trump spew this hate.”

Author Emma Kennedy tweeted: “Dear god, Theresa May, step up. Condemn him. Trump has thrown his support behind an organisation responsible for the murder of your colleague.”

Her claims refer to the death of politician Jo Cox, whose killer Thomas Mair repeatedly shouted “Britain First” before shooting and stabbing her.

Second World War veteran, writer and activist Harry Leslie Smith said: “After tweeting Britain First and promoting a racist agenda, Theresa May’s government should table a motion not only condemning Donald Trump but ban him from setting foot in Britain.”

Scores of other people called on the PM to cancel Mr Trump’s visit to the UK, which is set to take place early next year.

“If Theresa May goes ahead with the Donald Trump visit, she will be met with the biggest, angriest mass demonstration in British history,” said left-wing campaigner Owen Jones. “Don’t even try it.”

James Melville said: “For once, Theresa May must show some leadership and deny Donald Trump an official visit to the UK.”

The hate-filled tweets had been originally posted by Jayda Fransen, 31, from Penge, who is currently on bail facing four charges of causing religiously aggravated harassment.

Brendan Cox, the widower of Jo Cox, Piers Morgan and Labour MP David Lammy were among the first to criticise the US leader.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokeswoman Jo Swinson joined in with the condemnations, saying the “mask has yet again slipped” and exposed the “atrocious views of President Trump”.

“It is incredibly dangerous for someone in his position of responsibility to sow such division and hatred at every turn,” she said.

"Trump needs to do the world a favour and delete his account.”

Mrs May was criticised just weeks after Mr Trump's inauguration as president for failing to condemn his divisive travel ban.

She later said she did "not agree" with the policy, which banished people from seven Muslim-majority from entering the US.

Brexit minister Lord Callanan said Mr Trump may have not been aware of the "appalling" nature of Britain First, but said the incident showed the president should be "more careful" in his tweeting.

'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands

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The Conservative peer told BBC Radio 4's World At One: "Britain First is an appalling organisation and there is no excusing the things they stand for.

"I can only assume that he has made a mistake and that he did not realise who Britain First were. Most people in the UK don't know who Britain First are.

"I'm not excusing it. He clearly needs to be more careful what he tweets to 44 million followers. This is manna from heaven for them - we are doing exactly what they want in publicising them and giving coverage to their awful views, and Trump has helped them in that."

But Lord Callanan said the incident should not affect Mr Trump's invitation to visit the UK, insisting the Government needs to "separate out the man form the office" and show "respect for the office of the President of the United States".

In the Commons, Stephen Doughty MP said the videos were "highly inflammatory" while Yvette Cooper said the president had given Ms Fransen a "huge platform" as one MP shouted "Disgraceful" and others said "Go on, stand up" at Home secretary Ms Rudd.

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