MP signs Trump letter
● EAST Runcorn MP Mike Amesbury has joined dozens of other MPs in signing a letter denouncing Donald Trump’s personal attacks on US congresswomen. The letter from the antiracist charity Hope Not Hate expressed solidarity with Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria OcasioCortez, describing them as ‘the best of America’, and condemned Trump’s ‘blatant, unashamed racism’ in reference to his tweets in which he suggested the women should ‘go back’ to their home countries – despite all four being American citizens.
The letter stated: “We are disgusted by Donald Trump’s attack on you. His blatant, unashamed racism has appalled people around the world,” the signatories to the letter wrote.
In less than two days the petition has been signed by dozens of MPs, two trade union general secretaries and 13,809 Hope Not Hate activists.
The letter thanks the four congresswomen for ‘showing the world that America can still provide leadership to be proud of, even when the White House has abdicated that role’.
It added: “You embody the best of America. Its diversity is its strength.
“Thank you for showing the world that America can still provide leadership to be proud of, even when the White House has abdicated that role.
“We stand in solidarity with you.”
Mr Amesbury said: “It’s not enough for us to stand by and let these attacks take place unchallenged.
“The politics of division have been seen before and we know where it leads. We have to stand together and challenge racism and discrimination no matter where it’s found.”
The letter has been signed by: Nick Lowles, Hope Not Hate chief executive; Sadiq Khan, ● London mayor; Tim Roache, GMB general secretary; Rushanara Ali MP; Marsha De Cordova MP; Chi Onwurah MP; Mike Amesbury MP; Tonia Antoniazzi MP; Hilary Benn MP; Luciana Berger MP; Yvette Cooper MP; Tom Copley AM; Jeremy Corbyn MP; Angela Eagle MP; Gill Furniss MP; Ruth George MP; Roger Godsiff MP; Louise Haigh MP; Margaret Hodge MP; Sharon Hodgson MP; Baroness Hughes of Stretford; Diana Johnson MP; Ruth Jones MP; Barbara Keeley MP; Afzal Khan MP; Baroness Lister of Burtersett; Caroline Lucas MP; Sandy Martin MP; Catherine McKinnell MP; Anna McMorrin MP; Lisa Nandy MP; Jess Phillips MP; Yasmin Qureshi MP; Angela Rayner MP; Paula Sherriff MP; Valerie Vaz MP; Tom Watson MP; Leanne Wood AM; Baron Wood of Anfield; Manuel Cortes, TSSA general secretary; Sam Tarry, CLASS president and chairman.