Theresa May tackles Donald Trump over tweets on trip to Jordan
The PM condemns the US President but avoids answering on his suitability to meet the Queen and how she felt reading his posts.
Friday 1 December 2017 05:40, UK
Theresa May has launched her first direct condemnation of Donald Trump, saying she is "very clear that re-tweeting from Britain First was the wrong thing to do".
Speaking on a trip to Jordan, the Prime Minister replied to President Trump's public challenge made on Twitter, in which he said Mrs May should "focus on the destructive radical Islamic terrorism taking place within the United Kingdom" and not on him.
She told reporters: "The fact that we work together, does not mean that we're afraid to say when we think the United States have got it wrong.
"I am very clear that retweeting Britain First was the wrong thing to do."
It came as Sir Kim Darroch, the British ambassador to the US, revealed he had made a formal complaint to the White House.
Mrs May said at a press conference in Amman, Jordan: "I'm not a prolific tweeter myself, and that means I don't spend much of my time reading other people's tweets.
"But when I feel there should be a response, I give it - and I've given it."
Her comments are the first direct challenge made to President Trump since a Downing Street statement on Wednesday.
It called the sharing of anti-Muslim videos from far-right party Britain First "wrong".
But the move angered the US leader, who tweeted: "@Theresa_May, don't focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!"
On Thursday, Mrs May reiterated the criticism made by Home Secretary Amber Rudd that the original posts were "wrong".
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Asked by Sky News to respond to President Trump's comments about her failure to tackle terrorism at home, Mrs May said: "We take the need to deal with the terrorist threat very seriously.
"That's about what we do domestically in the United Kingdom, it's about what we do elsewhere in the world."
But she dodged a question on whether the US leader was "a fit person to meet the Queen" on a planned state visit.
And she avoided answering on whether she would sack a Cabinet minister if they retweeted Britain First material, saying only that she was sure they would not.
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Sky's Jason Farrell said: "The Prime Minister's comments went down well with Jordanian officials in the room who chuckled at the questions about Donald Trump and applauded Theresa May's rebuke that he 'got it wrong.'"
Sir Kim also said on Thursday: "British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right, which seek to divide communities and erode decency, tolerance and respect.
"British Muslims are peaceful and law abiding citizens. And I raised these concerns with the White House yesterday."
Following Mr Trump's sharing of videos posted by the Twitter account of Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen on Wednesday, Ms Fransen issued a video statement in which she declared herself "delighted" with the President's actions.
She also appealed to Mr Trump for his "help" and "intervention" as she faces a charge of using threatening or abusive language following an appearance at a rally in Belfast this summer.
Ms Fransen is due in court next month.
Asked on Thursday if the President knew who Ms Fransen was when he shared the videos with his followers, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "No, I don't believe so."
She added: "I think he knew what the issues are, and that is that we have a real threat of extreme violence and terrorism, not just in this country, but across the globe."
Commenting on the developing row on Thursday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "I would hope the President will think about this and people who advise the President will advise him.
"Listen, we are a society that wants to be cohesive and inclusive of people and the remarks he makes are just not helpful and not appropriate.
"I think he should stop retweeting what Britain First or any other far-right organisation say."
Mr Corbyn also expressed his belief it is "unlikely" Mr Trump's planned state visit to the UK will now go ahead.
But he added: "In the event that he does come to Britain, I hope he will look at the diversity of our society, the sense of inclusivity we have in our society and my local mosque would be very happy to receive him."