MPs speak out in row over Trump retweets
ROCHDALE’S two MPs joined a chorus of disapproval after Donald Trump retweeted videos produced by far-right group Britain First.
Tony Lloyd and Liz McInnes were among the MPs who spoke out on the issue in Parliament.
Mr Trump sparked outrage in the UK by retweeting three videos from Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen, who attended a Britain First protest in Rochdale in July, purportedly showing violent acts by Muslims.
Prime Minister Theresa said Trump was “wrong” to retweet videos produced by the “hateful” group.
That prompted an extraordinary flare-up between the two key allies came after Mr Trump responded directly to the PM’s assertion .
In a trademark late night tweet, he wrote: “@ 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!”
His comments provoked an outcry in Parliament with MPs demanding the cancellation of the state visit and calls for the president to apologise to the British people.
In a flurry of social media posts on Wednesday morning, Mr Trump retweeted three posts by Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen to his 43.6 million followers, including footage from the Netherlands purporting to show a Muslim migrant attacking a man on crutches.
The retweets were made without comment, but were regarded by many in the UK as an effective endorsement of the farright group.
Speaking in Parliament Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd said: “In this tolerant country of ours, non-Muslims and Muslims live in peace together as friends and neighbours — sometimes as members of the same families. I ask the Home Secretary, if Donald Trump is to be invited on an official state visit to Britain, how do I go back and explain to my constituents that there is a national interest in inviting an American president to the UK?”
Heywood and Middleton MP Liz McInnes, whose constituency includes, Norden, Bamford and Castleton, asked: “Has any member of the UK Government asked for these tweets to be taken down?”
Replying to Mr Lloyd Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “Mr Trump is the American President and we have such admiration and affection for the American people and share values with them in so many different ways. We are also so grateful to their intelligence and security services, with whom we work so closely. The closeness of that work, the trust between us, allows them to help save British lives so effectively.
“That is why we have such a close and special relationship with the Americans.” ●●US president Donald Trump (inset) has caused a furore by retweeing videos from Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen, pictured here at a rally in Rochdale in July