May will intervene if UK nationals affected

BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May does not agree with the restrictions on immigration imposed by United States President Donald Trump and will intervene if they affect UK nationals.

“Immigration policy in the US is a matter for the government of the US, just the same as immigration policy for this country should be set by our government,” a Downing Street spokesman said.

“But we do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking. If there is any impact on UK nationals then clearly we will make representations to the US government about that.”

May sparked controversy in Britain on Saturday after refusing to condemn the order by Trump to suspend refugee arrivals, saying Washington was responsible for its own immigration policy.

“The United States is responsible for the United States’ policy on refugees. The United Kingdom is responsible for the United Kingdom’s policy on refugees,” May said at a news conference during a trip to Ankara.

Meanwhile, an MP from May’s Conservative Party on Saturday revealed he would be barred from entering the US under Trump’s clampdown.

Iraqi-born MP Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that he had “confirmation that the order does apply to myself and my wife as we were both born in Iraq”, even though the pair have British passports.

“A sad, sad day to feel like a second class citizen! Sad day for the USA,” he added.

Zahawi, who has two sons at Princeton University, told BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show yesterday: “I don’t think I’ve felt discriminated against since little school. It’s demeaning.”

Double-double Olympic champion runner Mo Farah, born in Somalia, was another British citizen potentially affected by the ban, with reports that he might not be able to return to his base in Oregon, where his family live. — AFP