TRUMP STUNS WORLD WITH COMMENTS ON FAR-RIGHT
THERESA May has criticised Donald Trump for not singling out white supremacists for criticism following deadly unrest in Virginia, insisting there is “no equivalence” between fascists and their opponents.
The Prime Minister spoke out after the US President failed to condemn far-right demonstrators outright for violence in Charlottesville in which a woman was killed.
Mr Trump claimed “there is blame on all sides”, apparently equating the actions of far-right demonstrators with those protesting against them.
Mr Trump’s remarks were welcomed by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who tweeted: “Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth.”
But Mrs May said: “I see no equivalence between those who propound fascist views and those who oppose them. I think it is important for all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views wherever we hear them.”
Asked about Mr Trump’s comments in the wake of the violence, Mrs May told reporters in Portsmouth: “As I made clear at the weekend following the horrendous scenes that we saw in Charlottesville, I absolutely abhor the racism, the hatred and the violence that we have seen portrayed by these groups.
“The United Kingdom has taken action to ban far-right groups here, we have proscribed certain far- right groups here in the United Kingdom. “And there is no equivalence.” Mrs May spoke after senior Tories condemned Mr Trump, whose comments have also provoked criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in the US.
Violence erupted in Charlottesville on Saturday after a group of farright extremists gathered to protest against a decision to remove a statue of a Confederate general.
Heather Heyer, 32, later died when a car was driven into crowds as antifascist demonstrators clashed with the white supremacists.
Mr Trump faced heavy criticism in the immediate wake of the unrest after he said there was blame on “many sides”.
He took two days to condemn the actions of the far-right groups in particular, eventually branding the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists “repugnant to everything that we hold dear as Americans”, in a statement on Monday.
However, during a turbulent press conference at his Manhattan residence on Tuesday, the president appeared to have reverted to his previous position.
He acknowledged there were “some very bad people” among the statue protesters, but added: “You also had people that were very fine people, on both sides.”
In the hours after the comments the hashtag £ImpeachTrump trended worldwide on Twitter, while MPs from all sides criticised the president over his renewed stance.
Meanwhile, several Labour MPs and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable urged Mrs May to tear up her offer to Mr Trump of a state visit to Britain.
Shadow defence secretary and Llanelli MP Nia Griffith tweeted: “A state visit by DonaldTrump would shame this country and betray all we stand for. Theresa May should revoke the invitation immediately.”
The Holocaust Educational Trust said the actions of far-right groups in Charlottesville were shocking and horrifying.
The trust’s chief executive Karen Pollock said: “The Holocaust did not start with the gas chambers, it started with words; with hate-filled rhetoric.
“To therefore see neo-Nazi, racist and anti-semitic symbols and language used in Charlottesville should shock and horrify all of us.
“Such hate has no place in our society and we all have a responsibility to act wherever it rears its head.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn echoed Mrs May’s insistence there is no equivalence between fascists and their opponents as he criticised Mr Trump.
Speaking on a visit to Cumbria, Mr Corbyn said: “What happened was a group of the far-right turned up in Charlottesville – KKK supporters, Nazis, white supremacists – in order to cause trouble.
“A group of people objected to their presence and there is no equivalence between both sides.
“I hope President Trump will recognise he is the president of the United States. And that includes all of the people of the United States.”
Celebrities including Ben Stiller, LeBron James and JK Rowling joined the outcry.
Posting on Twitter, Stiller called the controversial press conference the “worst message I have ever heard a president put out to the world”.
Basketball star James said the US President had made hate “fashionable again” while model Chrissy Teigen said he is “actually racist”. She added: “He isn’t ‘saying the wrong thing’. He is actually racist and means this.”
Her husband, singer and actor John Legend, wrote: “It’s still hard for me to believe so many people voted for this idiot. This is your fault too.”
Author King called on Republicans to “stand up to this obscene man”, adding: “Trump must be removed.”
Meanwhile, President Trump says he is ending a pair of White House advisory councils that were staffed by corporate chief executives.
CEOs have been resigning since Mr Trump’s speech about Charlottesville on Saturday.
The resignations accelerated after Mr Trump again blamed “both sides” on Tuesday.
Mr Trump said on Twitter: “Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both. Thank you all!”