May’s failure to condemn Trump ban will haunt her

Forget the jokes. Forget the internet memes. Forget the rather sad spectacle of littleknown jazz singer Erin Boheme performing My Way at the inaugural ball.

Forget the parade of morons led by Piers Morgan telling us that despite the misogyny and racism, it’ll all be OK really.

Forget the idea that the worst of it will be tempered by Congress.

The presidency of Donald Trump got real yesterday – and it was as ugly, terrifying and hellish as anyone might have feared.

It’s worth a quick reminder of the lowlights so far of Trump’s shameful ban on Muslims from seven proscribed countries.

It meant Oscar-nominated filmmakers being told they can’t enter the US.

Iran threatening a tit-for-tat measure against American citizens.

A former US Army interpreter being detained in New York as he tried to enter the country he has served.

Those subjected to the ban included a young Glasgow vet humiliatingly forced to rearrange her travel plans because of her religion.

Hamaseh Tayar i ’ s account of the tears and suffering she experienced after the ban forced her to rip up her ticket home to Glasgow via New York from Costa Rica should be read in detail by every Trump apologist.

Starting with our own Prime Minister.

Three times Theresa May refused to condemn Trump’s ban in a foreign policy position down there with Tony Blair’s decision to invade Iraq and Margaret Thatcher’s refusal to impose sanctions on Apartheidera South Africa.

If there’s any justice, it will come back to haunt her.

The suspicion lingers that Brexit will force May increasingly into the arms of Trump and other unpalatable world leaders.

Perhaps her Three Wise Monkeys routine can be blamed on jet-lag as her whistlestop world tour took her from London to Washington to Ankara.

Perhaps she was still giddy from being wined and dined in the White House.

Her remarks are unsustainable and unacceptable – and any thought that May have had of sidestepping the issue because it doesn’t affect the UK was torpedoed by Hamaseh’s words.

An Iranian passport- holder yes. But someone who makes a huge contribution to this country and is being educated in one of our top universities.

She deserves protection from sectarian persecution.

If May can no longer offer that, voters should never forgive her.

Perhaps May was still giddy from being wined and dined in the Oval office