May heckled during short mosque visit

Theresa May was heckled by the public after visiting the London mosque targeted in the terror attack.

The prime minister was greeted with cries such as “have you got a faster taxi today?” and “how can you be so quick today?” from crowds outside Finsbury Park Mosque as she left to get into a car back to Downing Street.

She had met faith leaders to discuss yesterday’s atrocity, where a man allegedly drove a van into a group of worshippers.

It marks the latest difficult encounter for Mrs May in the wake of major disasters, with her response to last week’s Grenfell Tower fire having been heavily criticised.

The prime minister did not initially meet the families of those affected by last week’s blaze in Kensington, instead holding a private meeting with the emergency services.

This move prompted a backlash, especially when the Queen and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn later visited the victims.

Mrs May did later go and visit those affected, and invited a group to Downing Street for a meeting.

But she faced cries of “coward” and “shame on you” from crowds as she left a meeting with victims in Kensington on Friday.

Critics argued that the response was badly misjudged by the prime minister, whose reputation had already been damaged by her disappointing general election result.

Visiting the mosque yesterday afternoon, Mrs May met a selection of faith leaders who sat in a circle with her to discuss their concerns.

She was hurried into the building, with aides saying she was keeping to a tight schedule.

The media were allowed to watch the meeting for around one minute before being taken to a different floor, where they were told to wait for the prime minister.

After taking one question from the press she left the building, with her exit signalled to those inside by yells coming from the waiting crowd.

“Have you got a faster taxi today Mrs May?”