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    Tuesday, March 12, 2019

    Trump's Brexit feedback spark backlash from MPs

    Trump's Brexit comments spark backlash from MPs

    Donald TrumpImage copyright Reuters

    Donald Trump's criticism of Theresa May's Brexit strategy has sparked a backlash from UK politicians - including some government ministers.

    The US President said the PM's plan would "probably kill" a UK-US trade deal.

    He also said Boris Johnson would make a "great prime minister".

    Some Conservatives are furious at his "divisive" remarks, but backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg thought what he said was "perfectly reasonable".

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    Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said he did not think Mr Trump's remarks were rude.

    "Donald Trump is in many ways a controversialist," he told the BBC.

    "That's his style, that's the colour that he brings to the world stage."

    But another Conservative minister, Sam Gyimah, whose brief covers universities and skills, did not agree, questioning the president's manners:

    Image Copyright @SamGyimah @SamGyimah Report
    Twitter post by @SamGyimah: Where are your manners, Mr President?Image Copyright @SamGyimah @SamGyimah Report

    His government colleague, Digital Minister Margot James, took issue with the comments about Boris Johnson, who she said "would make a terrible PM":

    Image Copyright @margot_james_mp @margot_james_mp Report
    Twitter post by @margot_james_mp: No Mr President @POTUS Boris Johnson would make a terrible PMImage Copyright @margot_james_mp @margot_james_mp Report

    Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston criticised what she called Mr Trump's "divisive, dog-whistle rhetoric":

    Image Copyright @sarahwollaston @sarahwollaston Report
    Twitter post by @sarahwollaston: .@realDonaldTrump determined to insult our PM. The divisive, dog-whistle rhetoric in his @TheSun interview is repulsive . If signing up to the #Trump world view is the price of a deal, it’s not worth payingImage Copyright @sarahwollaston @sarahwollaston Report

    And another Tory MP, Anna Soubry, said the president "diminishes the standing of the great country he is meant to lead".

    Image Copyright @Anna_Soubry @Anna_Soubry Report
    Twitter post by @Anna_Soubry: The more @realDonaldTrump insults and undermines @theresa_may the more he enhances her credibility. #Trump is a guest in #UK because we respect the great office he holds. Yet again he diminishes the standing of the great country he is meant to lead #USA #TrumpUKImage Copyright @Anna_Soubry @Anna_Soubry Report

    Chancellor Philip Hammond was more optimistic, saying the US president had been "nodding furiously" while Mrs May was speaking during Thursday night's dinner with Blenheim Palace and had yet to talk to her about the plans, which were published on Thursday in a White Paper.

    "I know she's looking forward to the opportunity to discuss with the president how we can take forward the big opportunities for increasing trade and investment between the UK and the United States that she mentioned last night during the dinner at Blenheim," he told reporters in Brussels, where he is attending a finance ministers' meeting.

    But opposition parties reacted scathingly to Mr Trump's intervention.

    Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry told Sky News she felt sorry for Mrs May, adding: "Donald Trump ought to have listened to his mother. I am assuming that his mum told him that when you go to someone's house you do not insult the host."

    Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said the US president "now chooses our leaders".

    Image Copyright @vincecable @vincecable Report
    Twitter post by @vincecable: So @realDonaldTrump now chooses our leaders. Hardly a surprise we are treated like Panama or El Salvador when government grovels for favours. Truly a #VassalState . No surprise Trump has chosen @BorisJohnson a narcissistic self-absorbed political twin.Image Copyright @vincecable @vincecable Report

    But influential Conservative backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg, who opposes Mrs May's plan for post-Brexit trade with the EU, said many Conservative MPs shared his view.

    "The UK wants to do a trade deal with Donald Trump, and he said if you want to do a trade deal with the United States this isn't the way to do it," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

    "That's a matter of US foreign policy."

    He said it was different to when former US president Barack Obama tried to help the Remain campaign during the 2016 EU referendum campaign by saying the UK would be at the "back of the queue" for a trade deal with the US if left the EU.

    Mr Trump's predecessor had "interfered" in a UK election, said Mr Rees-Mogg.

    Another Eurosceptic Conservative MP, Nigel Evans, told the BBC the US president "loves our country".

    Original Article

    Politics
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